THE 



CLAIM 



MILLIONS OF OUR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN, 



PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS; 



TO BE TAUGHT IN 



THEIR OWN AND ONLY LANGUAGE: 



Qfyt fxiffb. 



ADDRESSED TO THE 



UPPER CLASSES IN IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN; 



CHARLES EDWARD H. ORPEN, m. d. 

MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGES OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND AND OF LONDON, &€, 



Ths produce of the sale of this Pamphlet, will be devoted to the Ladik 
Auxiliary Irish Society, &c. {See page 4.J 



DUBLIN : 

rSUNTIB FOR X. M. TIMS, 85, GRAFTON-STSIIT; 

By M. Goodwin, 29, Denmark-$ireet. 



18.21. 

Prise Is. 3& 



ERRATA. 

The only typographical or other ersors, of sufficient importance to require 
correction, are the following: — 

Page 6, Note f Thewords " by W. S. Sankey, Esq." should be in Italics, 
and in a parenthesis, as the book was published without his name. 
14, line 18, for " Champain," read " Champaign." 
19, — 9, for " any, I conceive, truth," read, " I conceive, any 
truth." 
The six sentences in the last two paragraphs on this page 
should have been printed thus : 

1. All the parishes, &c. &c. in the kingdom ! ! 

2. Again, the total, &c. &c. is only ninety-four. 

3. Surely the above, &c. &c. principal language. 

4. Well, there are, &c.&c. in Ireland ! ! 

5. What then must be, &c. &c. in all Ireland ? 
y 6. It is for those, &c. &c. in our Country. 

21, line 23, for " County," read " Country." 
52, — 10, for "there (?)" read " (where?)" 



THE 



: ) 



CLAIM 



MILLIONS OF OUR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN 



PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, 



TO BE TAUGHT IN 



THEIR OWN AND ONLY LANGUAGE ; 



QM)t fxigfy* 



ADDRESSED TO IHE 
UPPER CLASSES IN IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN; 

ZV 

CHARLES EDWARD H. ORPEN, m. d. 

MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGES OF SL'F.eEOKS IK IRELAND AKD LONDOK, &C.&C* 



% S&?J r //.0*4b£>^ 



'■/**&/£, &*^//uvf C cv<yti/t«,t< e*e£r 



DUBLIN: 

PRINTED FOE R« M. TIMS, 85, GRAFTON-STREETj 

By M, Goodwin, 29, Denmark-streeU 



182! 



- < 



-? 







IIS £ *'G& 



•a • ••••••• 



£ 

« 



DEDICATION. 



As a compendious refutation of every prejudice, against 
teaching those, who exclusively or chiefly speak Irish, to 
read the Scriptures in their vernacular tongue ; the best 
means, it is conceived, of Christian instruction, and of 
speedier acquisition of English ; this Appeal, on behalf of 
our neglected fellow- creatures and compatriots, is respect- 
fully dedicated, to the " Ladies' Committee, Auxiliary to 
■ The Irish Society for promoting the Education of the 
Native Irish, through the medium of their own lan- 
guage-'" 

By their Servant and Friend, 

THE AUTHOR, 

DUBLIN, 

40, Great Ge«rge's~street, North, 
May 20th, 1821. 



The produce, if any, of this pamphlet's sale will be given 
to the " Ladies' Auxiliary Irish Society." 



The objects and plan of the Parent Society, and its Auxiliary, 
may be briefly stated, thus : — 

1. To teach such poor as speak solely or chiefly Irish, to 
read it. 

2. To encourage in the Irish districts, most destitute of 
instruction, Irish Schools ; whether held by day or evening, for 
youth or adults, on Weekdays or Sunday, as stationary or 
circulating ; but especially to establish Sunday, Circulating, 
and Adult Irish Schools. 

3. To publish a few indispensable Elementary School books 
in Irish. 

4<. To circulate Irish Bibles, Testaments, or parts of them. 
5. To lead the Scholars by means of Irish to an accurate 
knowledge of English also.* 



The constitution of the Ladies Auxiliary may be briefly stated, 
thus : — 

1. Subscribers, or Collectors by weekly or other contribu- 
tions, of 10s. yearly ; and Donors, or Collectors from friends, 
of £5, at one time, are members. 

2. Collectors of £2 10s. Od. annually, are honorary mem- 
bers of Committee. 

S. Donors of £10 are Guardians ; of £20 Governesses or 
Governors. 

Contributions to the Auxiliary Society are received by the 
following members of Committee : 

Hon. Mrs. Hewitt, 29, Merrion-square, North Mrs. A. Hamilton, 23, 

Rutland-square, North. — Mrs. Fox, 4, Fitzwilliam-square, North. — Mrs. 
John Synge, Round Wood, Co. Wicklow. — Mrs, II. M. Manon, 24, 
Kildare-street.' — Mrs. Newenham, Darlington, Cullen's-vvood. — Mrs. Ma- 
thias, 56, Eccles-street.' — Mrs. J. Hoare, 5, Grenville-street. — Mrs. Sirr, 
Lower Castle-yard— Mrs. W. L. Guinness, 13, Mountjoy-square, North.— 
Mrs. Lanigan, 52, Harcourt-street — Miss Brenan, Kingston Lodge. Scalp. — 
Mrs. Barrett, 3, North Anne-street, Circular Road.— Mrs. C. Coane, (Se- 
cretary,) Lower Castle-yard. 

* The detailed Constitution, &c. &c. of the " Irish Society, &c." appear in its 
Reports, to be procured at No. 16, Upper Sackville-street, Dublin: where 
also Contributions are received by the Assistant Secretary, Edward Hoare, 
Esq ; as well as by any Member of the Committee : by the Treasurers, George 
La Touche and Co. Bank, Castle-street, Dublin ; and by Puget Bain- 
feridffe, and Co. Warwick-lane, London, 



THE CLAIM, ifcc 



J n this appeal, no objection or prejudice, known or suppos- 
able, is consciously omitted ; all having been as anxiously col- 
lected as the rebutting arguments. Each, too, is fairly stated ; 
trust in the refutation's conclusiveness making me fearless of 
putting weapons into objectors' hands. 

The answers claim little originality, being chiefly selections 
from the works quoted : for, as only obsolete and oft re- 
futed assumptions can be reproduced, seeking novel replies 
seemed useless for conviction, while the old continue fresh, 
complete and unanswerable ; superfluous for defence, as truth 
never needs her left hand to put down opponents, already 
foiled by her right. 

Satisfied to feel strong, in the force of argument from fact, 
against eloquence in assertion, I have been inattentive to style ; 
except by consecutive arrangement to elucidate, by classify- 
ing to distinguish, by exemplification to enforce ; and (to borrow 
in play a metaphor from chemistry) by evaporating every di- 
luting admixture to condensate each extract, yet, in precipi- 
tating all extraneous matter, not to decompose the substance.* 
Only twenty years since, a pretender to wit ridiculed 
the universal education of the poor, saying, " he saw in it no 
more utility, than in teaohing tailors to measure their customers 
with a quadrant." Did he suppose this an argument ? No refu- 
tations of such general objection, to instructing the lower 
classes, are here offered ; as not a shadow of supporting proof 
is adducible, and few ever now urge it ; except, either selfish 
mortals unwilling to share their blessings, or men ignorant 
that their own superiority arises solely from education ■ with 
here and there a person, worthy yet weak minded, honestly 
adverse, but unconvinced solely from never having weighed in- 
numerable facts, proving in every country diffused knowledge 
to have diminished crime and alleviated misery among its poor. 
Their gratuitous impeachment of education, if not self-de- 
stroyed by its own infirmity, is branded as untenable, by simply 
announcing the irreversible sentence, passed by the judgment 
of Dr. Samuel Johnson, in these words : " I did not expect 
to hear, that it could be, in an assembly convened for the 
propagation of Christian knowledge, a question, whether any 
nation, uninstructed in religion, should receive instruction ; or 

* Thus, for " The English or Irish language," I put simply " En." and 
" Ir." In many other phrases needles* words are cancelled ; but never is 
the sense the least altered." 



whether that instruction should be conveyed to them, by a 
translation of the Holy Books into their own language. If 
obedience to the will of God be necessary for happiness, and 
knowledge of His will necessary for obedience ; I know not, 
how he that withholds this knowledge or delays it, can be said 
to love his neighbour as himself. He that voluntarily continues 
ignorance, is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance pro- 
duces, as to him who should extinguish the tapers of a Light 
House might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwreck."* 



PREJUDICE I. 

Irish is not sufficiently extensive, to make instructing its 
speakers our duty. 

ANSWER. 
Four Celtic dialects are spoken in the three united 
kingdoms. Manks, in Isle of Man, by 20 or 25,000.f Gaelic, 
in tlie Scotch Highlands and Hebrides, by 400,0004 Welsh, by 
600,000. [| Irish or Erse, by at least 2,000,000.$ This last most 
interests us, being the common or sole language of our popu- 
lace in many parts of Ireland. It prevails beyond comparisoa 
over English in all the W. S. and N W. parts of this kingdom ; 
is nearly exclusive in all their peninsulas and islands, and 
very common in most sequestered glens and mountainous dis- 
tricts, even of inland counties ;^[ where little intercourse with 
other parts, arising from isolated situation, at once retards the 
progress of English, and makes the prevalency of Irish, gene- 
rally unknown to the rich and the inhabitants of the me- 
tropolis and larger towns. Hence their incredulity, || || and the 
consequent necessity of proving the extensive use of our coun- 
try's vernacular language. 

•Johnson's Works, 12mo Edin. 1806, vol. xv, p. 162. 

f Irish Society's Second Report, p. 64 — 66. — Letters of L. Geneste, 
Esq. dated 1819 — Douglas, Isle of Alan. 

} Gaelic School Society's First Report, second edition, Edin. 1812, p. 12. 

[j Memorial on behalf of the native Irish, with a view to their improve- 
ment in moral and religious knowledge, through the medium of their own 
language, by Rev. Chr. Anderson, of Edinburgh, 8vo. Lon. 1815. p. 6. 

§ Conservations on the character, customs and superstitions of the Irish, 
by Dr. D. Dewar, 8vo. Lon. 1812. p. 88. 95. Anderson's Memorial p. 6. 

^ Dewar's Observations, &c. p. 96 — 97. Brief Sketch of the various at- 
tempts to diffuse a knowledge of the Scriptures in the Irish language, by 
William Stephen Sankey, Esq. 8vo. Dub. 1318. p. 53. 

|| || Nearly equal, though reverse, prejudices exist on the two sides of the 
channel. Here many discredit the extent of the Irishry. There many are 
ignorant of our use of English. As a proof of this, might be given a cir- 
cumstance, which occurred to myself in England, but that I fear it would 
scarcely be credited. 



Ireland's circumference is 900 miles, its sinuous coast 1900, 
containing 150 harbours, or sheltered anchorages, and more than 
as many peninsulas, with 100 Islands on the W. S W. N. and 
N W. mostly very fertile, some excessively populous, as Arran, 
Valentia, Magherea, &c. In all these Ir. is common, univer- 
sal, or even exclusive. The Scotch Hebrides amount to 68, 
their population to 100,000. The largest is equalled in popu- 
lousness by one Irish Island. 

Of the principal Irish districts, in the four Provinces, the 
following is an outline.* 

Leinster In Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, King's Co. 

Queen's Co. and the S E. of Wexford, a few speak Irish. In 
the N W. of Do. many. In the W. of Carlow, a considerable 
proportion. In Kilkenny, Meath, Westmeath, Longford and 
Louth, it is either chiefly or universally spoken. 

Ulster. — In Armagh a few speak it. Among the moun- 
tains of Down many. In Antrim some on the E. coast. On 
the S W. mountains of Londonderry a few. In Donegal more 
than half, especially the peasantry on its coast, who, not know- 
ing in some places a word of En. call it Scotch. In Fermanagh, 
Monaghan and Cavan many. In Tyrone about half. Among 
the Leitrim mountains, it is the common language. 
Munster. — Ir. incomparably outnumbers En. in every County; 
excepting their larger towns, suburbs and some parts of the 
coast. Even in Youghal and Cork (City) many poor habi- 
tually speak Ir. and almost all the peasants, frequenting their 
markets, traffic in it. The population of the County Cork 
alone, is rated by an excellent judge at 675,364' ; equalling 
one third of the Scotch nation. f 

Connaught — Ir. is confessedly almost universal in all its 
Counties ; and commonly learned by the gentry, to facilitate 
necessary intercourse with their tenantry. 

After this general outline, sanctioned by the numerous un- 
dernamed authorities ;£ let us proceed to prove anew the ex- 
tent of Irish, by a large induction of particulars, in a man- 
ner conceived unanswerable, from testimonies beyond all sus- 



* Dewar's Observations &e. p. SS— 95. Anderson's Memorial, p. 6. 

f Letter of Major Newenham, (author of " Enquiry on the population of 
Ireland.") in Anderson's Memorial, p. 58, note. 

f Concurrent testimonies from various writers prove the truth of the above 
outline. Two Scotchmen — Dewarand Anderson, travelling in Ireland, with 
this specific inquiry in view, both knowing Gaelic or Irish, and one so per- 
fectly as to preach in it: an Englishman — Wakefield, who travelled for two 
years in Ireland : and two Irishmen — Major Newenham, who made diligent 
research into the population of Ireland, and Dr. Stokes, who accurately in- 
vestigated the state of the language. See especially Dewar's Observations, 
&c p. 88. Anderson's Memorial, &e. p. 29. Wakefield's Statistical account 
of Ireland, 4to, Lon. 1812, vol. ii. Newenham's Inquiry on the population 
of Ireland, 4to. Lon. 1806, p. 88. The Necessity of publishing the Scrip- 
tures in Irish, by Dr. W. Stokes, S. F. T. C. D. 8vo Dub. 1805. 



pieion ; viz. the various writers of the Stat. Surv. ; 1. of Coun- 
ties, edited under the Royal Dub. Society's sanction ; and 2. of 
Parishes, in the two volumes already published of the " Statisti- 
cal Account or Parochial Survey of Ireland, &c." by Wm. S. 
Mason, Esq. Svo Dub. V. i 1814- : V. ii — 1816. 

In this collection each Parochial Survey is returned by its 
clergyman. As at present the comparative extent of Ir. and En. 
is not the question ; but the positive number of speakers of Ir. 
and our consequent duty to instruct them through that language : 
I might omit, for brevity's sake, parishes exclusively, or almost 
entirely En. But lest this should appear unfair, no information 
that lias been attainable is suppressed. 
LEINSTER. 

Dublin. — This County contains 115 parishes.* "En. is 
generally spoken, very few being in the habit of speaking Ir. 
nor do many understand it, except those who have removed 
from remoter Counties.'-f- However, the numbers who have at- 
tended the School at Stephen's-green since its commencement, 
amounting to several hundreds, prove that more speak Ir. even 
in the metropolis, than was believed; and I frequently hear it in 

the streets There is no return from any Co^- Dublin Parish in 

S. Mason's Survey. 

Wicklow. — <• Pop. 58,000." " Though Ir. is common in all the 
Counties around, in Wicklow it is unknown — nor did I find any of 
the natives in this County, even in the most remote vales, in the 
midst of mountains, accustomed to speak Ir."| This proves Ir. 
prevalent in the neighbouring Counties, though unknown in 
this, almost entirely an English Colony. 

This Co>- has 55 Parishes.* Five (one Benefice) occur in 
Mason's Survey. 

Arklow and 4 others united, part in Co*'- Wexford. — " Pop* 
8,373, J Prot. § It. C." " Language En. exclusively." || 

Of the other 50 Parishes I have no information, but may 
safely in this Co^- admit Ir. unimportant. 

Kildare. — Contains 113 Parishes.* But one, forming one 
Benefice, appears in S. Mason's Survey, namely — 

Kilberry. — " Pop. 450." " Little or no Ir. is spoken in this 
Parish, the language of all being En. u A few old people under- 
stand, but do not use Ir."^[ 

Of the other 1 12 Parishes I find no direct information in books ; 
but that Ir. is used in some, is obvious for the " Glengarry Itegi- 

* The Ecclesiastical Register, &c. edited under the sanction of the Board 
of First Fruits, by John C. Erck, A.M. 8vo Dublin, 1820— Index of 
Parishes, p. 147—170. 

f Stat. Surv. of Co. Dublin, bv Lr.. J. Archer, 8vo Dub. 1801, p. 221. 

| Stat Suw. of Go Wicklow, by R. Frazer, Esq. Svo Dub. 1801, p. 249, 274, 

j| S. Mason's P. Surv. i. 26. 40, 45. 

«J S. Mason's Surv. i. 117 , 419, 



taent of Scotch Fencibles," speaking Gaelic, understood the KlU 
dare peasantry speaking Ir.* 

King's Co>- — Has 42 Parishes. f Only one Parish (one Be- 
nifice) occurs in S. Mason's Survey. 

Clonmacnois « Pop. 3,176. Families 586. Prat. 8. R* 

C. 578." " The general language," says the writer of this Sur- 
vey, " is En." but immediately adds, " Though they all speak 
Ir. to one another, "J evidently shewing that they either under- 
stand it better, or prefer their native tongue — (using En. only 
with persons knowing it alone.) If so many in one Parish speak 
Ir. what must be the number in the remaining 41 in this County ? 

Queen's Co>- — Has 46 Parishes.-]- Only two (two Benefices) 
occur in S. Mason's Survey. 

Aghaboe. — " Pop. 4,829." " The Parishioners all speak En. 
few of them Ir. many do not understand a word of the latter. 
This almost total extinction of Ir. arises from the early coloni- 
zation of this Co y - by English settlers."^ 

Lea — " Pop. 6,246." " The language used by the people is 
En. scarcely a word of Ir. being spoken among them."|| 

As, therefore, in the first Parish, but few speak Ir. we may, 
for the present, admit the number in the other 44 inconsiderable. 

Wexford Co>-— Has 132 Parishes.f Only 14 (5 Benefices) 
occur in S. Mason's Survey. 

Adamstown and another united. — "Pop. 1,970. Prot. Fami- 
lies 14. R. C. do. 380." "Ir. which was general, is getting 
rapidly out of use"** — however, it is still spoken by some. 

Enniscorthy and 4 others united. — " En. is universal."-]- f 

Killesk and 3 others united. ^-« Pop. 4,290." " The inhabi- 
tants speak good En. and very little Ir. owing, it is presumed, 
to their being near the first En. Colonists, and part of the ori- 
ginal grant to an En. chieftain."! J 

* Stat. Surv. of Co. Kildare, by T. J. Rawson, Esq. 8vo Dub. 1804— p. 
1 33. The terms, in which this remark is made, evince either ignorance or 
prejudice on this subject, which I am sorry to say are too common among the 
vrriters, both of the County and Parochial Surveys. The Scotch are men- 
tioned as " speaking with correctness the ancient Celtic" — the language of 
the Irish is called " The corrupt Irish spoken by the natives." How came 
the Gselic, notoriously a minor dialect, to be more correct Celtic than the Ir. 
which all scholars allow to be the most pure ? 
f Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147—170. 

f S. Mason's Survey, ii. 143, 145, 145. I state, wherever I can, the pro- 
portion of Protestants and Roman Catholics, because in this enquiry it will 
appear that the latter have more tenaciously preserved their native language — 
and that therefore, in proportion to their excess of number, is the importance 
of Ir. enhanced. 

f S. Mason's Surv. i. 13, 45, 47. 

j| i, 515,527. 

** i.i, ii, 5. 

f | , _ — — i. 349, 352. 

}| i. 4G3, 47G, 493. 

B 



10 

Killegny — « Pop. 1,753. Fam.331. Prot. 16. R. C 318." 
This writer asserts, " They all speak En." though he had just 
said, "the language among the peasantry, except the Protest* 
ants, when they discourse with one another, is mostly Ir."* 

Whitechurch and another united. — 4i Families 292." "The 
language in general is En. which all can speak," but the Writer 
adds, " though they occasionally converse with each other in 
Ir."+ Why do they do so ? 

Kilkenny Co>' — " Pop. 108,090."^ " En. being taught at all 
schools, is understood by most of the younger part of the lower 
class; but many persons, particularly women in the hilly dis- 
tricts, cannot speak a word of En. In the hills of Idagh, Ir. is 
said to be tolerably well spoken. The common people seldom 
speak any other language among themselves ; but Ir. is more 
prevalent about Kilkenny (City) and Minister, than near the Co y - 
Carlow. The priests often preach alternately in Ir. and En. but 
always in Ir. when they are desirous to be well understood." 

Why do not Protestants use the same means, to make the Bi- 
ble and their religion intelligible and attractive to the people? 

Kilkenny has 138 Parishes.** Only? (in 3 Benefices) appear 
in S. Mason's work. 

Grange Silvac. — '-Pop. 3,000." This writer asserts, "all the 
inhabitants can speak En." and instantly adds, "but among them- 
selves speak Ir. mostly ."J The inference is, that as we, in 
France, would "mostly speak En. among ourselves," so these 
only know En. as we French, partially. 

Fiddovyn and 4 others united. — " Pop. 5,551/' " In the low- 
lands En. is spoken by all descriptions of people: Ir. is common 
in the mountainous parts. "«] This confirms what, was before 
stated, that even in inland Counties, Ir. has adhered to the 
mountains. 

Kilmacahill.— "Pop. 1,180. Estab. Ch. 44. R. C. 1,136." 
" Their language is for the most part En. which they all speak 
fluently, which was not the case some years ago," but, the 
writer proceeds, "Ir. is understood by all, and occasionally 
used. — It is, however on the decline. "|| 

The other 131 Parishes we may divide equally between these 
three reports. 

Longford CVhas \6 Parishes, Westmfatii 66, and Car- 
low^,** but neither County nor Parochial surveys having ap- 
peared, of these I can obtain no information. However, from 

. _, , . __ _____ 

* S. Mason's Stivv. i. 465, 476, 495. 

f ____ -—ii. 539, 545, 544. 

\ Stat Surv. of Co. Kilkenny, by Wm. Tighe, Esq. 8vo Dub. 1802. 
§ S. Mason's Surv. i. 417, 418, 419. 

fl , — , — ___ — ,'. 357, 575. 

|| i:. 552, 357, 559. 

** Erck's EccJes. Reg. p. 147—170. 



II 

what will be proved of the extent of Ir. in circumjacent Coun- 
ties, it will appear that it must be more or less used in those also. 
Meath Coy-— "Pop.l 12,468."* This Coy has 139 Parishes-ft 
Only one (one Benefice) appears in S. Mason's Survey. 

Ardbraccan.— "Pop. 4,126. Prot. 396. R. C. 3,015.'" "The 
language generally spoken is Ir."f If, in this single Parish, 
probably between 3 and 4,000 Jr. speakers are found, how many 
must be in the remaining 13S Parishes ? 

Louth Coy- — Has 53 Parishes. ff Only 7 (in 5 Benefices) 
occur in S. Mason's Survey. 

Rathdrummin and two others united. — " Pop. 1,407." "The 
Ir. language is in general use, but it is rare to find any person 
who does not speak En. well, which language is still encreasing 
among them, as may be collected from the children being al- 
ways able to explain and interpret, when the parents do not 
speak En. "J Therefore many adults speak Ir. — Shall we neglect 
the souls of those parents, who can receive instruction only 
through the Ir. language ? And would it not delight them to 
hear the Ir. Scriptures read by their children ? 

Clonmore.- — " Pop. 733." " Most of the inhabitants speak 
En. but they prefer Ir. among themselves. '"$ Why ? Every 
reader's mind will give the same answer. 

Creggan Partly in the Co>- Armagh. "Pop. 1,800 Fami- 
lies, or about 10,000 individuals." " The people all speak Ir. and 
some can speak no other, particularly in the Louth part of the 
parish. However, En. is gaining ground on the other."^[ Some 
thousands in one Parish incapable of understanding the Scrip- 
tures except in Ir. ! and we neglect to give them ! ! May Goo", 
lay not this sin to our charge. 

Ballymascanlon. — "Pop. 5,600. Families 1,400. Estab. 
Ch. 80. Diss. 80. R. C. 1,240." The writer of this article 
says, "It is gratifying to a person attached to British policy, 
to have it in his power to say, that the En. language is gaining 
ground, and that it is very generally spoken." jj Thank God, say 
I, British policy is a distinct thing from the extension of the En. 
language, and best advanced by diffusing Christian knowledge 
among all the tongues of this vast empire, whatever this pre- 
judiced writer may think. 

Faughart " Pop. 1,361. Estab. Ch. 36. Diss. 11. R. C. 

1 ,294. ' " Most of them can speak En. tolerably well," but the 

* Skat. Surv. of Co. Meath, by Rt. Thompson, Esq. 8vo Dub. f802.~g 
p. 397. 

f S. Mason's Surv. i. 84, 93, 9-7. 

| i. 620, 623, 624. 

§ ■ .- i. 19(5, 19S. 

«[ __ j. 203, 207, 208. 

|f — ii. 68, 71, 72. 

ft Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147—170, 



12 

writer immediately adds, " their common language with each 
other is Ir."|||| 

In these 7 Parishes, therefore, at least 10,000 Ir. speakers are 
found. What must be their number in the remaining 46 Parishes 
of Louth ? 

ULSTER. 

Cavan Co^ has 35 Parishes.* Only one (one Benefice) ap- 
pears in S. Mason's work. 

Bailieborough, partly in M eath " Pop. 5,456." " En. is in 

general use."f 

Of the other 34 Parishes, I can obtain no new account, but 
from the authorities mentioned before (page 7) Ir. appears 
still much used in this County. 

Monaghan Co>- — Of one of its Baronies, (Farney orDona- 
moque) the Statistical Survey cursorily says, " They speak En, 
and Ir. fluently enough. "J Of the rest of this County, with its 
21 Parishes,* I find no notice in books. However, from the au- 
thorities mentioned in page 7, Ir. is proved to be still the lan- 
guage of many of its inhabitants. 

Down Co>- — " Pop. 223,539."$ Ir. is much used in the moun- 
tainous parts, which in this, as in most other Counties, seem to 
have been the retreat of the ancient inhabitants. In other parts 
En. is universal ; all speaking it.' '^[ If we remember, however, 
that this County is chiefly mountainous, it at once appears that 
Ir. is here of some consequence. This County has C4 Parishes.* 
But one (one Benefice) appears in S. Mason's work. 

Annahilt — " Fam. 514. Pop. Prot. 2,678. R. C. 20." 
4i Almost all being of Scotch origin, speak En. with abroad Sc. 
accent ; formerly broad Sc."|| Of the other 63 Parishes, I can 
obtain only the above general account. 

A iimagh Co> — "Pop. 125,000 " " En. has been long the ge- 
neral language, and is firmly established."** This County has 32 
Parishes.* But two (two Benefices) appear in S. Mason's work. 
Seagoe. — " Pop. about 5,000." " The language is entirely 

En."ft 

Ballymoyer.— « Pop. 1,518. Prot. Fam. 17. Diss. 37. R. C. 

Illl S. Mason's Surv. ii. 207, 209, 210. 

* Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147—170. 

f S. Mason's Sury. i. 150, 143, 144. 

J Stat. Surv. of Co. Monaghan, by Sir C. Coote, Bart. 8vo Dub. 1804. 
—p. 153. This Gentleman's Surveys, and several other County and Paro- 
chial Surveys, are miserably superficial, not even alluding to many of the 
most importaut topic* in commercial, political, and civil ceconomy. 

§ Stat. Surv. of Co. Down, by Rev. J. Dubourdieu, 8vo Dub. 1812.— p. 244. 

^ Do. p. 250. 

|| S. Mason's Surv. ii. 7, 15, 16. 

** Stat. Surv. of Co. Armagh, by Sir C. Coote, Bart. 8voDub. J 804.— 
p. 245, 282. 
. |f S. Mason'i Surv. ii. 520, 525, 527. 



179." " A few speak fr. but the prevailing language is En."|j (| 

Of the remaining 30 Parishes I can rind no accounts. We 
may, however, safely say that En. is prevalent, while here and 
there an inconsiderable number speak Ir. 

Antrim Co;'-— "Pop. 24-0,000." Of one part of this Scotch 
colonized County, the Stat. Surv. says, that though all speak En. 
a dialect of Celtic has been long used among them, not pure, 
difficultly understood by Scots speaking the language, and com- 
posed of the language brought with them from Scotland, and 
that found here.* 

This Coy- contains 68 Parishes.^ Ten (six Benefices) appear 
in S. Mason's Survey. 

Ballintoy.— " Pop. 3,593. Estab. Ch. 2,075. Diss. 997. R. 
C. 521." " En. is now universal. "f 

Glenavy and two others united. — " Pop. 6,107. Estab. Ch. 
2,155. Diss. 1,676. R. C. 2,273." " Language exclusively 
En. Ir. being altogether unknown, an En. Colony having been 
introduced.";}: 

Aghalee and two others united " Pop. 5,000. Estab. 

Ch. k. Diss. J. R. C. £."$ " The general language is En."^[ 

Dunaghy. — " Pop. 4\400.'' " The language spoken is En. 
The R. Catholic is seldom heard to speak his native tongue, 
except in the upper part of the Parish. "|| 

Finvoy " Pop. 11,720." "The language is En. with some 

Scotch words used by the Dissenters, and Ir. by die natives."** 

Ramoan. — "Pop. 4, 153." " En. is generally spoken, Ir. 
also is very much used."f j- 

Of the other 58 Parishes we have no account but that in 
page 7. 

Tyrone Co?— " Pop. 172,224."^ " Except in the wilds of 
Munterloney, (chiefly in Strabane Barony,) En. is most pre- 
valent. Indeed, throughout the County it is gaining ground 
very fast. The R. C's. are the only sect fond of speaking Ir. 
and with them it is wearing off very fast." J J This shews En. 
the more extensive, yet Ir. still partially spoken. 

This Co)'- has 40 Parishes. $ But one (one Benefice) occurs 
in S. Mason's work. 

UK S. Mason's Surv. ii. 78, 81, 83. 

* Slat. Surv. of Co. Antrim, by Rev. J. Dubourdieu, 8vo Dub. 1812 — 
p. 442, 431. 

f S. Mason's Surv. i. 150, 171, 157. 

| ii. 215, 278, 248. 

§ Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147—170. 

^ S. Mason's Surv. ii. 1, 5, 4. 

|| i. 239, 255. 

** i. 377, 390, 391. 

ff ii. 499, 509, 510. 

ft Stat. Surv. of Co. Tyrone by J, M'Evoy, Esq. 8vo Dub. 1802— p. 142, 
£01. 



14 

Ardstraw.—" Pop. 18,11k Fam. Estab. Ch. 491. Diss. 
1,779. R. C. 949." (i Language En. only."f^[ The Protest- 
ants' great numerical superiority in this particular parish, ex- 
plains its prevalency. Of the other 39 Parishes I can find no 
printed notices. 

Fermanagh Coy- — Has 20 Parishes,* of which but 2 (two 
Benefices) appear in S. Mason's work. 

Templecare, partly in Donegal. — " Pop. 2,934. Fam. Estab. 
Ch. 265. Diss. 15. R. C. 209." " The language generally 
used is En. The R. C's. can indeed speak Ir. ; in general, 
however, even they prefer En."4- 

Devnish. — " Pop. 6,113. Fam. 1,826." " En. is generally 
spoken, except in the mountainous parts of the Parish. Even 
R. C's in many parts of it neither speak nor understand Ir.J 

OfLEiTRiM Coy- and its 16 Parishes,* I can find neither 
County nor Parochial Surveys. 

Donegal Co>- — " Pop. 200,000." § "In the mountain regions, 
En. is very little known ; in the Champain it is quite general.''^ 
This Co^ has 52 Parishes.* Only 5 (5 P>enefices) occur in S. 
Mason's work. 

Culdaff.— " Pop. 4,91 1 . Fam. 898. Estab. Ch. 58. Presb. 
18. R. C. 817." The writer of this Survey asserts, " The 
language spoken by the peasantry is En." immediately adding, 
"the greater number, however, speak a Patois more nearly 
alh'ed to Erse than to Ir."|| As Erse is but another name 
for Ir. this observation only proves, 1st, the writers ignorance 
— and 2dly, the extensive use of Ir. 

Cloncha " Pop. 5,955. Fam. 1,091. Estab. Ch. 49. Presb. 

47. R. C. 995." " Language as in Culdaff."f f Therefore 
Ir. is as extensive. 

Kilbarron. — " Pop. 6,306." This writer says, " They ge- 
nerally speak En." yet adds, "but Ir. not unfrequently."^ 

Inver " Pop. 8,963." This writer says, " En. is spoken by 

almost all," adding, " Except perhaps some few in the remoter 
parts of the mountains," and superadding, " The native lan- 
guage is also well understood by all the R. C's. and most Prot, 
speak it."$$ 

Clonmany— " Pop. 4,680. Fam. Estab. Ch. 17. Diss. 8. 



«J! S. Mason's Surv. i. 106, 120, 642, 123. 

* Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147—170. 

f S. Mason's Surv. i. 530, 655. 

J . ii. 190, 206, 195. 

§ Stat. Surv. of Co. Donegal, by J. M'Parlan, M.D. 8vo Dub. 1802. 
p. 63, 101. 

|| S. Mason's Surv. ii. I5l t J 55, 159. 

ff ■ ii. 176, 181. 

+| i. 424, 430, 431. 

§§ ii. 281, 236, 287. 



15 

U. C. 931." " The vernacular language is used by the people 
in common, although they are acquiring a tolerable knowledge 
of En." A man in this parish upwards of 70 years of age, 
teaches En. Ir; French, Latin, and Greek — speaks the first 
four languages, and repeats from memory alone all the books 
read at school, or nearly so."* 

Of the other 47 Parishes we may suppose the same as to the 
extensive use of Ir. 

Derry Co^ — "Pop. 125,000."f " Ir. is now little spoken 
except in the mountainous and retired parts." -f 

This Co^- has 32 Parishes.;}: But 2 (two Benefices) occur in 
S. Mason's work. 

Maghera.-— " Pop. 10,209." This writer asserts, " Ir. is 
spoken here in a manner nearly unintelligible to those who have 
learned it in the South of Ireland," this will be refuted here- 
after. The writer adds, "the use of it is declining rapidly, 
and very few persons indeed, in this extensive parish, cannot 
speak En."$ 

Dungiven. — " Pop. 4,713." That Ir. prevails in this and 
neighbouring Parishes, these extracts prove — " The Ir. cry is 
not yet banished from funerals." — " I must recur to the dis- 
tinction between the Scotch and Irish, the former a people, 
like most others in similar situations, gradually though slowly 
adopting such changes as the progress of society may have in- 
troduced, the latter still retaining in their language, manners, 
and customs, the unvarying characters of antiquity." " It is 
a singular fact, that there is not, perhaps, in any part of the 
South, a more truly primitive race than that found in the moun- 
tains of Dungiven, surrounded on all sides by Scotch and 
English settlers." " The language used by the native inhabi- 
tants is Ir. and the writer is informed a very pure dialect ; 
their pride, indeed, in this respect, is sufficient proof that it is 
at least of the better kind ; for they always treat with more than 
Attic contempt their " barbarous" neighbours, as they consi- 
der those of Comber, Banagher, and the other adjacent pa- 
rishes."^" 

Of the other 30 Parishes I find no account: but from the 
language's prevalence in this, and partial use in the former Pa- 
rish, we maj r safely infer in those, its importance considerable. 
MUNSTER. 

Cork Co?- — In 1810, the Piev. H. Townjend rated its Pop. as 

* S. Mason's Surv. i. 174, 183, 184, 192. 

f Stat. Surv. ef Co. Londonderry, by Rev. G. V. Sampson, 8voDub. 1802 
—p. 292, 460. 

J Erck's Ecclcs. Reg. p. 14 7—170, 
§ S. Mason's Surv. i. 575, 581, 592. 
«r __ — — i. 28 J, 505, 510. 



16 

620,578.* We before quoted however, Major Newenham, 
(as from two distinct calculations) making its amount 675,864* 
For the present the mean contents me ; viz. 64.-7,971. Of this 
immense population what is the chief language? I answer in 
Townsend's words " Except in the towns they seldom use any 
language but Ir. and even in some of the best cultivated dis- 
tricts, most of the people speak no other ; they are however, 
willing enough to send their children to school, when the op- 
portunity offers, though the little they learn there, is often 
forgotten, soon after they return to their parents. In their 
native language they are generally clear and fluent in expres- 
sion, though proverbially reproached as blunderers in En. from 
their imperfect acquaintance with its idiom."* " Yet the greater 
number if not all the towns and many of the fortified cities, 
were colonized by En. and abundance of En. names occur in 
them. M * 

This great Coy- has 257 parishes.f Only six, (three Bene- 
fices) appear in S. Mason's work. 

Macromp. — Pop. 7,524s " The language used by the peo- 
ple of the town of Macromp, is En. entirely ; and generally 
in the country parts of this parish j though now and then we 
meet with some of both sexes who cannot speak a word of En. 
but this is rare.":}: 

Kilgcriff and three others united. " The language of the 
K. C. peasantry is Ir. Prot. of the lower order speak both 
En. and Ir. In towns En. is often spoken by both."$ 

Carrigaline. — Pop. 5,934. The writer of this article as- 
serts, " With very i'cw exceptions they understand and speak 
En." immediately adding " conversations among themselves 
are often held in Ir."^[ A friend of mine who was minister of 
this parish, represented at the Irish Society's meeting the ex- 
tensive use of Ir. in this parish. 

Waterford Co v - — I find no Co>- survey. It has 70 Pa- 
rishes, t But seven, (two Benefices) occur in S. Mason's work. 

Lismore. — Pop. 4,500 ' : many of the common people now 
speak En. and the next generation will probably speak it, for 
the children are universally sent to school."** 

Drumcannon and five others united, Pop. 6 J 71. "Many 
in this union do not speak En. especially in Ballynakill, though 
so near Waterford, (City) and yet it is commonly used ;" he 

* Stat. Surv. of Co. Cork, by Rev. H. Tcwnseud, 8vo. Dub. 1810. 
p. 87, 75, 95. 

f Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147 — 170. 

{ S. Mason's Surv. i. 559, 572, 574, 568. 

§ ii. 305. 311. 

1 ii. 126, 141, 132. 

*> i. 549, 553. 

ff • i. 217, 236, 258. 



17 

adds, " but the common people, in their dealings and commu- 
nications with each other, constantly speak Ir."-{--|- 
Of the other 63 Parishes we may say the same. 

Tipper ary. Co?- — I find no County survey, but its area is 
very great, and Ir. allowed to be most extensive in it. 

It has no less than 180 Parishes.* Only three (one Benefice) 
appear in S. Mason's collection. 

Carrick and two others united — Pop. 12,064. "The En. 
language is but little used in the hilly parts, but," he says, 
11 is universally understood by the inhabitants of the low lands," 
yet he proceeds to state ; " Ir. however, is the language even 
there commonly used : and it is only when they perceive that 
they are not understood in this, that they speak the other ; 
which they always do with evident reluctance. 'f 

Of the remaining 167 Parishes, we may presume the same 
as of these three. 

Limerick Co>- — There being no Co>'- survey, I cannot state 
its population. Let the reader, however, look at its area, on the 
map. What is proved of the language of Cork and Clare, will 
hint what must be its tongue. 

This Co^ has 111 Parishes. Only two (two Benefices) ap- 
pear in S. Mason's collection. 

Cahircorney. — " Pop. 1,188." "The middling class speak En. 
the lower generally Ir.";}: The latter are of course much more 
numerous. 

Kilfergus— Pop. 2,251, Prot. 55 R. C. 2,196, "There is 
scarcely one family in the Parish, that does not speak En. cor- 
rectly."^ 

The other 108 we may divide equally between these two 
reports. 

Of Kerry and its 87* Parishes I find neither Co^ nor Paro- 
chial surveys ; but Ir. is well known to be almost universal in 
many parts of it. 

CONNAUGHT. 

Clare Co?-— Pop. 120,000.** The Co>- survey does not 
even allude to its language, but the following Parochial sur- 
veys prove Ir. extensive. 

Clare has 75 Parishes. Ten, (two Benefices) appear in 
S, Mason's collection. 

Kilrush and four others united "Pop. 17,24-2." " The lan- 
guage generally spoken here, except in the remote parts ot the 
union, is En." but the writer adds " many persons, however, 

ff See this note on last page. * Erck's Eccles. Reg p. 147 — 170. 

f S. Mason's Surv. i. 104, 109, 113. f S. Mason's Surv. ii. 88, 96, 97, 

§ S. Mason's Surv. ii. 295, 288. ** Stat. Surv. of Co. Clare by H 

Dutton, Esq. 8vo. Dub. 1808. p. 168. 

c 



IS 

are still utterly ignorant of En. and a great proportion of the 
inhabitants speak Ir. in preference."* 

Kilmanaheen and four others united, « Pop. 8,142." " The 
language, used by the people in general, is Ir : but En. has of 
late years made, and is making a considerable progress among 
them — very few are to be met with who cannot use some kind 
of En. in conversation."-^ Observe the expression — " some 
kind of English"! ! 

Of the remaining 65 parishes we may suppose the same : 
" Many still utterly ignorant of En." " A great proportion using 
Ir. in preference." And of those who know any En. we may 
easily guess what " Using some kind of En. in conversation," 
means. 

Roscommon. Co?- — No Co* survey has yet appeared ; the 
population is therefore unknown. — Look at its superficies in the 
map. 

This Coy- has 60 Parishes.** Only three (two Benefices) 
occur in S. Mason's collection. 

Fuerty — Pop. 4,525. Prot. 112. It. C. 4,137. This writer 
asserts, "The inferior orders of the people here, seem indif- 
ferent as to their choice of En. or Ir." Mark what follows : 
"among themselves, indeed, the Ir. is more commonly used."^: 

Killuken.— Pop. 1,790. Prot. 120. R. C. 1,670. "Hitherto 
Ir. has been much spoken here by the original inhabitants ; but 
is now much declining, owing to the rising generation learning, 
as they are so generally, to read En. at little country schools, 
which are becoming very common, "$ 

Kilmore — Pop. 3,820. Prot. 180. It. C. 3,640. " En. 
is the language apoken by the people in general — though all 
indeed understand Ir. but it is not so much used among them 
as formerly."^ 

Of the other 57 Parishes we may presume the same as to 
their language. 

Sligo CV- — " Pop. much above 60,000."ff "The greater 
part of the common people speak bad En. but En. is in a pro- 
gressive, though slow and bad state of improvement." Mark 
the words ! ! 

This Co>- has 39 Parishes.** One only, (one Benefice) ap- 
pears in S. Mason's collection. 

Kilmactige.— " Pop. 7,260. Prot. Fam. 10. R. C. Do. 

*S. Mason's Su rv. i. -104, 109, U3. 

f i. 477, 514, 493. 

| i. 402, 415, 406, 408. 

§ , ii. 320, 523, 325. 

J ii. 599, 402, 404. 

** Erck's Ecdes. Keg. p. 147—170. 

f f Stat. Surv. of Co. Sligo, by J. M'Parlan, M. D. 8vo. Dub. 1802. 
p, 69, 88. 



19 

1,200.'* " Ir. is universally spoken, and but few can speak En."*" 
Of the other 38, we may presume the same. 
Of Galway Co>- and its 127 Parishes, f with Mayo Coy- and 
its 74 Parishes, f I have no information from books : but from 
the circumjacent Counties using chiefly Ir. we may presume 
that Ir. is common in these. 

If these quotations have not proved, that at the lowest com- 
putation there must be two millions in Ireland who use solely 
or chiefly the Ir. language — there is not any, I conceive, truth in 
arithmetic. My own conviction too is, that the number, ut- 
terly ignorant of En. is much greater than the writers of the 
County and Parochial Surveys seem willing to admit — a con- 
viction founded both on my own observations and enquiries, 
and on the testimonies of many intelligent and impartial friends, 
from various parts of Ireland. The proofs, above given, seem 
to me sufficient to shew it to be our duty to instruct in Irish, 
wherever this is used chiefly. But should this " brochure," ever 
require a second edition, 1 will endeavour to collect, arrange, 
and complete these additional proofs. — Observe even now, how- 
ever, that by far the larger number of these Parochial returns 
are from the very Counties, which are most obviously those 
colonized by English and Scots. The want of returns from the 
parishes which use the most Irish may be often explained, by 
their population being generally almost exclusively Roman Ca- 
tholics ; and non-residence being in such livings much more 
common. In one instance lately, a Survey, written by the Cu- 
rate of a benefice close to Cork, was suppressed by its Rector; 
because it depicted too truly the ignorance of the people. 

Again, the total number of Parishes of which I have been 
able to find any return, is only ninety-four. Surely the above 
documents prove in these the existence of 50 or 60 thousand 
who speak Ir. alone, or as their principal language. Well, there 
are about 2,372 Parishes in Ireland! !J It is for those who 
deny the importance of Irish, as a means of instructing our Poor, 
to disprove these facts, if they can : but until then, to allow 
our inference of the existence of upwards of two Millions of 
Irish speakers in our Country. 

All the Parishes surveyed form but 51 Benefices, of which 
there are about 1,261 in the kingdom !!£ What then must 
be the number of such in all Ireland? 

* S. Mason's Surv. ii. 549, 359, 363. 
f Erck's Eccles. Reg. p. 147 — 170, 
| Do. passiija. 



20 



PREJUDICE II. 

Almost all, who speak Irish, understand English also. 
ANSWER. 

The books lately quoted, prove that multitudes neither speak 
nor understand a word of En.* Many too, adding to Ir. a know 
ledge of some few En. words cannot speak five sentences, nor 
comprehend a continued conversation, discourse, or book in 
it ;' and are therefore incapable of receiving moral or religious 
instruction in En. Man} also know only enough of En. for 
barter at markets, fairs, and shops; and lay even this aside 
at home as a burthen. — Therefore, the few words known, are 
precisely tho?e least connected with moral sentiments, or suited 
to the conveyance of Spiritual instruction. 

Anderson says, " Every language has its departments, com- 
mercial, political, and religious. Does it therefore follow be- 
cause a native Iiishman can buy and sell, or reply to a travel- 
ler, in En., that he can reason in it, or follow the argument of 
moral and religious discourse? By no means — Ir. is still the 
language of his heart, and even of the best part of his under- 
standing. — In it, he still expresses his joy or grief, for this is 
the language associated with his earliest recollections, &c &c. 
There can therefore be no doubt, that the degree in which the 
great body of the native Ir. peasantry understand En. is quite 
compatible with absolute ignorance of Divine revelation; and 
indeed, so far as En. is concerned, of abstract reasoning upon 
any given subject whatever."-)* 

Besides, all, who know a more extended vocabulary of 
En. words, and yet still use Ir. principally, must mentally 
translate these into Ir. words, whenever reasoning about 
the relative ideas ; as they inevitably feel, conceive, and think 
in Ir.± 

Dewar, says lie, " heard very little En. spoken in places 
where he was assured not a word of Ir. was spoken ?"§ Why ? 
The answer is obvious. — The persons who informed him did 
not know Ir. and finding that the people answered them 
" Yes," or " No," in En. supposed that they conversed among 
themselves in that language ; but to Dewar, who knew Ir. they 
opened their hearts in their own tongue. 

* See also Dewar's observ. p. 96, 97. Brief Sketch, p. 5o. 

f Anderson's Memorial, p. 59, 60. J Brief Sketch, p. 54, 55- 

k Dewar's Observations, &c. p. 96, 97. 



21 

PREJUDICE III. 

Irish is a barbarous language. 

ANSWER. 

Do the objectors understand it themselves? The writer of 
one Parochial Survey in S. Mason's collection, says, " The 
common Ir. are naturally shrewd, but very ignorant and defi- 
cient in mental culture, from the barbarous tongue in which 
they converse, which operates as an effectual bar to any kind 
of literary attainment."* Whose fault is this, but theirs who 
have hitherto refused to give them education in this language? 

Must not every language possessing all its roots in itself, as 
Ir. does, be figurative and poetical ? Has not a list of some 
hundred authors in Ir. been published by the Iberno-Celtic So- 
ciety ?f Does not Norton's manuscript Ir. Lexicon in Trinity 
College (Dublin) Library, contain more words than Johnson's 
Dictionary ? and O'Reilly's, lately published in Dublin, many 
thousand more ? 

Is it as barbarous as Esquimaux, which has words of forty 
syllables, or Bullom, Susoo, and Hottentot, &c. &c. which never- 
theless Missionaries learn and preach, " if possible to save 
some ;" publishing also Grammars, and printing Bibles in 
them? Is it more barbarous now than when the first Christian 
preachers came, and by it converted our Pagan ancestors ? is 
it more so than many, as Mesopotamian, Elamite, Median, 
Parthian, &c. &c. unjustly called barbarous by Greece ; but ho- 
nored by God at Pentecost, when miraculously enabling the 
Apostles to preach in them ; that all of every language then at 
Jerusalem " might hear in their own tongue, wherein they were 
born, the wonderful works of God.''$ 

Did not St. Paul correctly call every language, unknown by 
those who hear it, barbarous ? — when he said, " Therefore if 
I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that 
speaketh, a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian 
unto me."(j Consequently, if En. hearers call Ir. barbarous, 
their language is no less so to the Ir. Besides, even if it were 
barbarous, this would not excuse our neglecting the most effi- 
cient means of communicating Religious instruction to the mil- 
lions who do and must use it, and in it alone can receive such 
knowledge. 

* S. Mason's Surv. ii. 31 1.— Kilgeriff, Co. Cork. 

f Transactions, vol. i. § Acts ii. 1 — 11. [j 1 Corinthians xi v. J2- 



PREJUDICE IV. 

Though many speak Ir. few read It. 

ANSWER. 

So much stronger the argument for teaching them to read — 
for the Scriptures are the only book " able to make them wise 
unto Salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord ;"* and 
therefore, all who themselves love and appreciate the Bible, 
should remove this obstacle. But this prejudice is not per- 
fectly just. 

The writer of the Survey of Clonmany Parish (Cov- Donegal) 
in S. Mason's collection, says, " It may be right to remark, 
phat some of the old men have a genius for reading Ir. in Ir. 
characters. — There are some old poems on Fion M'Cuil, and 
many fragments of what they call Ossian's Poems. There is 
ah o an Ir. manuscript on Theological subjects, written A. D. 
17.15 "f Is it not melancholy that their " genius for Ir." has 
Dot rather been exercised on the old prophecies, writings, and 
histories of Moses, Elias, and Jesus ; and that the poems of 
the sweet Psalmist of Israel have not been given as freely to 
l hem ? 

This objection too, if proving any thing, equally opposes 
disseminating the Scriptures, and teaching to read, in every 
County where the mass of the population has not yet been taught: 
as was the case even in England and Scotland at one time.J 

Were the numbers, who could read En. greater, when their 
first translators of the Bible placed it chained, (but not 
"bound,"$) in every church, that all who pleased might read 
for themselves or others. 

The sale of the Irish Roman Catholic Catechism alone, was 
in 1806, and for some years before, about 2,000 annually ; so 
that many thousands must even then have been able to read.|| 

In 1806, Dr. Stokes calculated that at least 20,000, had 
made some attempt to read their own language, but since that 
time, the number of Ir. readers has amazingly increased. This 
has been greatly accelerated by the number of Bibles, Tes- 
taments, and elementary school books lately circulated. The 
schools of the Irish Society, and the exertions of many indi- 
viduals and of other societies, in various parts of Ireland, have 
still further swelled the number. The attention paid to Ir. at May- 
nooth College ; where there is an Ir. professor, and where Ir. 
Grammars are used, the Testament explained, and fragments 
translated ; has had the same effect. 

* 1 Timothy iii. 15. f S. Mason's Surv. i. ]84, 185. 

| Brief Sketch, p. 56, 57. § 2 Timothy, ii. 9. 

|| Dr. Stokes' pamphlet passim. Dewar's Observations, p. 88. 



23 

PREJUDICE V. 

There are few Irish books, and fewer manuscripts, and none 
worth reading. 

ANSWER. 

There are, it is well ascertained, many valuable Ir. manu- 
scripts on history, antiquities, medicine, &c. Sec. in the 
libraries of Oxford, Dublin, and several foreign universities, 
of the Royal Irish Academy, and of many private persons. Of 
the number of Irish manuscripts, both in Ireland and else- 
where, I could give many proofs, but must at present limit nry- 
self to one quotation from the writer of the Parochial Survey 
of Kilmanaheen, Co> r - Clare (S. Mason's Survey, i. 501) who 
says : 

" As to eminent men, Hugh M'Curtin, was born here about 
1663 He wrote an Ir. Grammar, and two thirds of an 
Ir. Dictionary, with an En. translation to each ; and died about 
the age of 70, when engaged in the latter. He is reputed 
diligent, laborious, and accurate in his researches into Ir. an- 
tiquities. He lived some years at Paris, and there became 
professor of Ir. In the latter part of his life he returned to 
his native country; leaving some of his works in Paris, and 
bringing some more with him. He had, as the writer is in- 
formed, a most valuable collection of Ir. books, which after 
his death, got into different hands. Andrew M'Curtin, a dis- 
tant relative, }'ounger by 20 or 30 years, was also a celebrated 
Ir. historian and poet, and wrote some books, which, after his 
death, met with the same fate as those of his cousin Hugh. 
A gentleman, a native of this country, well known under the 
title of the Chevalier O'Gorman, purchased nearly the entire 
of these and the other Ir. books, in this and the adjacent 
Counties of Kerry and Limerick, from the different persons in 
whose possession they were about forty years ago, and had them 
all conveyed to Prance, where it is supposed he left them. 
He returned to Ireland in the beginning of the French Revo- 
ution, and died in this Country in indigent circumstances* 
The writer knew him well." 

But in fact the proof or disproof of this statement, as to the 
number of manuscripts, has nothing to do with the argument, 
as to its being our duty, by means of Ir. to lead those who 
speak it, alone or in common to "know the will of God: the 
knowledge of which," we need not Dr. Johnson's authority to 
prove, "is necessary to obedience." Even if there were not 
in existence a single manuscript, this question of duty would 
in no degree be affected, because the object for which we con- 
tend, is not — to give the speakers an extensive literary educa- 
tion in that language, but — to use the knowledge of it, which 






24 

they already possess and prize, as a means of scriptural 
instruction. 

As to Irish books, several thousand Bibles and Testaments, 
Pentateuchs, Proverbs and Psalters, &c. &c. have been printed, 
or even stereotyped in the Ir. language and character. There- 
fore, as these are the only " Scriptures, given by inspiration of 
God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God may be 
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work;'** surely 
they must be well worth perusal, and richly overpay the little 
trouble of learning to read, even if no other book in Ir. were 
ever to be printed or studied. 

Besides, this very asserted deficiency, (scarcity would be 
true,) of Ir. book;;, except the best, should, with the objectors, 
be an additional argument for teaching those who speak Ir. to 
read ; because ail the books, which they could then find, would 
be good, and there would be no danger of exposing them at 
the same time, to the perusal of vicious works. 



PREJUDICE VI. 

The Irish dialects vary so, that no books or schools ca« 
answer. 

ANSWER. 

If, indeed, as one writer asserts, our country's language, were 
" rather a jargon composed of Ir. En. and perhaps Welsh and 
Scotch ;"f in vain should we attempt to use it. But in truth, 
the dialectic difference, in various parts of Ireland, is very 
slight, consisting chiefly in diversity of pronunciation, not of 
spelling, or of root. This may be illustrated by what the 
writer of the Survey of Ramoan Parish (Co>- of Antrim) says 
in S. Mason's Collection. "The Irish vowels and dipthongs, 
which in Munster and Connaught, would receive a full and 
mellow tone, are both here and in Scotland abreviated, which 
makes such words sound as if cluttering with consonants; 
underneath are a few words to exemplify this remark, spelled 
so as to make the meaning obvious to the En. reader:"; - : 

True Irish sound Scotland and North of Ireland 

noneen, a daisy, nonln, 

calleen, a girl, cailln, 

garsoon, a boy, garscin, 

creeveen, a branch, crlvln. 

The difference of dialect, is indeed, never so great as between 

* 2 Timothy, iii. 16, 17. 
f S. Mason's Surv. i. 95. Ardbraccan, Co. Meath. 
| _ ii. 510. 



25 

the Yorkshire, Cumberland, Lancashire, Somersetshire, and 
the Lowland — Scotchifled — English, dialects, and London 
English. 

O'Gallagher's printed Ir. (Roman Catholic) sermons have 
been preached in various Counties, and perfectly understood.* 
Nay, even Highlanders and Hebrideans, speaking the Gaelic 
dialect of Celtic* understand Irishmen, speaking the Erse or 
Ir. dialect, and vice versa. The same is true of Manks. 

The Greek dialects differed much more ; yet Herodotus 
who used the Ionic, was applauded by all assembled Greece, 
at Elis.f 

The same fact is observed of the Romansh, spoken in the 
Grisons. Though divided into two main dialects, and these 
into various subdivisions, yet there is but one version of the 
Bible ; and this is understood by all4 

Irish, having all its roots and their modifications in itself, is 
infinitely more intelligible to its hearers, than En; whose roots 
are mostly foreign. Hence the peculiarity of the Erse and Gaelic ; 
that, as far as regards language merely, the illiterate and even 
the common herds, understand perfectly the best orator and 
most accomplished scholar.^ 

PREJUDICE VII. 

The Irish Bible, being a translation made two hundred and 
twenty years since, is unintelligible at present. 

ANSWER. 

Were this true, it would only prove our duty to re-translate 
and re-publish it, for more than two millions of the Ir. people. 
For it was translated and published, in Welsh for 600.000, in 
Gaelic for 400,000, and in Manks for 25,000 ! altogether only 
about half our number !!|| 

Do not the En. understand all the En. Bibles ; though trans- 
lated in the days of James the First, or even of Elizabeth ? 
And can Irish, insulated and without foreign intercourse, with 
all its radical words in itself, have changed, as much as En. has 
by adopting innumerable foreign terms ? The origin of this 
prejudice is easily explained. It arose probably from some 
one, who shewed the Ir. Testaments to peasants, who though 
they spoke Ir. perfectly,- had never learned to read it, as they 
had to read En. and on finding their inability to use them, pro- 
claimed them unintelligible. But "no one, says Dr. Stokes, would 

* Brief Sketch, p. 65. f Brief Sketch, p. 65. 

\ Account of the Romansh, by J. Planta, F. R. S. Phil. Trans. 1776 
Part i. p. 129—159. 

§ Gaelic School Society's 1st. Report p. 36 Rev, A. Downie's Letter. 

j| See a similar argument by the Emp. Alexander, as to Russian, in ifce 
Brt and For. Bible Society's 12th Report, p. 24, 25. 

D 



26 

expect, that one, who could speak and read En, and could only 
speak French, having never learned to read it, should be able 
to read French at the first trial. If, indeed, the letters had 
the same .sounds in different languages, and that all letters 
were sounded, men might read a new language at sight, as they 
do music ; but this is far from being the case." That such has 
been the cause of this unfortunate prejudice, is proved by 
what one writer in S. Mason's Survey says. After mentioning 
that a tew copies of Archbishop Daniell's Irish Testament, 
were lately brought from Dublin, and exposed for sale in dif- 
ferent shops in Maghera; he adds, " though many of the in- 
habitants of the Irish townlands attempted to read them, none 
could do so without so much difficulty and uncertainty, as to 
the meaning of the words, as proves the inutility of introducing 
them here."* I ask, how does it prove this ? Would our find- 
ing that a man, who could speak and read French perfectly, 
did not at first sight read an En. book, prove any thing else 
than the necessity of his being taught En. reading, before at- 
tempting it ? I will, however, show hereafter, that the Irish 
Testaments, here mentioned, were those printed so injudici- 
ously in the English character; which necessarily misled per- 
sons, who though they spoke Irish fluently, could only read 
English ; as they of course transferred to the pronunciation of 
Irish words written in En. letters, the rules they had been taught 
to apply to English orthoepy. 

Facts, too, disprove this prejudice. 

In Richardson's time (1712) Bedell's version was perfectly 
understood — " I have rend," says he, " the Bible, in Ir. to the 
common people, in public and privately, and they declared 
that they understood it very well. And that I might be satisfied 
they did so, I caused some of them to translate several sen- 
tences, which they did exactly.' -j- The Kev. Mr. Graham, 
of Kilrush, Co>> Clare, in a letter to Anderson (3d Feb. 1806) 
says, " that persons in his parish read it in intervals of labour, 
and during the long winter nights, to circles of illiterate friends, 
who understood every part."^: Dr. Dewar says, <k whenever he 
announced the reading of the Ir. Scriptures, crowds came and 
listened with manifest pleasure, and eager intelligence."^ He 
also says,j| that in his journey in Connaught he found a school- 
master, teaching a school on his own account, who, for several 
months had been in the habit of reading the Ir. New Testa- 
ment to his neighbours ; and as a proof that his labour was not 
lost to these poor people, each of them alternately brought a 
candle, or at least furnished a light, while he read to them the 

* S. Mason's Surv. i. 592, Mnghera, Co. Londonderry. f Richardson's 
Jlistoiy, &c. 8vo. London, 1712. {Anderson's Memorial, &c. p. 61. 
§ Dewar's Observations, &c. p. |( Dewar's Observations, p. 62. 



-27 

It. Scriptures. On hearing one part of the Gospels read 
which pleased them very much, they exclaimed; •« Read it 
again ; Read it again." 



PREJUDICE VIII. 

The Irish have no marked attachment to their language, 
and are even ashamed of it. 

ANSWER. 

If so, how come they to have retained it so long ; as if glo- 
rying in that, which the objector calls their shame ? Was this 
ever asserted of any other nation, or would it be believed if it 
were ? Is it possible that the language of their social inter- 
course, domestic communion and family endearment, and with 
which every high and holy feeling, connected with moral or reli- 
gious duty, is interwoven, should not be associated with all their 
affections? Are the Irish less attached to their language, than 
the over-prejudiced Jews to theirs ; who consented to listen even 
to Paul, whom they hated and despised; "When they heard that 
he spake in the Hebrew tongue unto them."* That they are 
strongly attached to their language has already been abun- 
dantly proved, in the answers to the first prejudice, and may 
be still further shewn by reference to the underquoted autho- 
rities.f 

The Irish may, it is true, feel awkward, ™ hen acknowledg- 
ing in our presence their ignorance of English ; just as we, if 
in Spain, should, in confessing our incompetency to converse 
in Spanish. But this is not shame in either case. Their per- 
tinacious adherence to their mother tongue, is a clear evidence 
of an attachment to it, which is verified by many proofs. On the 
East branch of the river Barrow, in one place En. is spoken, 
and Ir. scarcely known, an En. colony having probably been 
introduced ; but a little higher up the exact reverse has 
been the case for centuries^:. The same is observed as to 
Gaelic in Scotland ; where, it is a curious fact, that two hills, 
bounding one parish in Perthshire, have been for centuries the 
separating barrier between En. and Gaelic, in the first house 
below these, En. has been long spoken ; in the first house about 
a mile above, the Gaelic alone is heardf. 

The writer of one survey in S. Mason's Collection, supplies 
a similar circumstance with respect to the. En. language. He 

* Acts xxii. 2. f & Mason's Surv. i. 198. 32C. 40S. 41 2.— ii. ] 1 *. 

Brief Sketch, p. 104, &c. Anderson's Memorial, p. 59. 61. 52. Dewm'i 
Observations, &c. p. 87. 122. Baptist Society's Fourth Report. Hibti- 
nian Society's Reports ; passins. $ Anderson's Memorial, p, 52. Note. 



, 28 

mentions " one single townland in the middle of Scotch and Ir\ 
speakers, where not only the names of the people testify their 
En. origin; but this conjecture is fully confirmed by their man- 
ners, habits, religion and language. In a more particular man- 
ner, among one old and respectable family, we meet with terms 
and expressions, which have long ceased to be familiar but to 
the readers of Spencer. With the exception, indeed, of the 
Scotch district above mentioned, the En. spoken in this parish 
is remarkable for its correctness and purity."* 

Dr. Dewar very justly observes, " The attachment of the 
human mind to any object is encreased, in proportion to the 
reproach and persecution, which is suffered for its sake. At 
this advanced period of the world, this obvious truth needs no 
illustration; or, if any be necessary, the history of Ireland will 
furnish it. The exertions, which have been made to suppress 
the language of this country, have greatly strengthened the 
prepossession of the natives in its favour ; and they now, in some 
degree, consider their honor pledged for its preservation. "f 

An extraordinary illustration of the attachment of the Ir. to 
their own language, is given by the writer of the Survey of 
Kilmanahcen parish (Co>- Clare) in S. Mason's collection, in an 
anecdote of a man, who worked in the Abp. of Tuam's garden — 
" The Archbishop never could extract a word of En. from 
him ; though he understood the language so well, that both had 
frequent conversations, he in Ir. and his Grace in En." 
The same writer remarks, that " there are some Irish manu- 
scripts in the hands of different persons in this union, which 
they hold in great estimation. They had been the property 
of a man of the name of Laurence Healy, at Ennistimon; 
after whose death his widow disposed of the manuscripts, 
and they are now in different hands ; they are all some re- 
mains of the works of two persons esteemed famous 
Ir. poets and historians, natives of one of the parishes of 
this union. It is said that many of their works were trans- 
lated into English."^) 

Another striking proof of attachment, in the Irish to their 
own language, is afforded by the author of the Survey of Dun- 
given parish (Co?- Donegal) in the circumstances which he 
mentions, as connected with the traditionary preservation of 
Ossian's poems among the Seanachies. " The poems attribut- 
ed to Ossian, and other bardic remains, are still repeated here 
by the old Seanachies, as they are called, with visible exulta- 
tion. Eight of these have been written down at my request, 
by a young mountaineer named Bernard M'Losky, from 
whose acquaintance with the native traditions, customs, and 

* S. Mason's Surv. i. 321. f Dewar's Observations, &c, p. 60, 

} S. Mason's Surv. i. 493. § S. Mason's Surv. i. 494. 



language, the writer derived much assistance in this survey. 
He is himself a good Latin scholar, and possesses, by every 
account, a critical knowledge of the ancient Irish. These 
poetic records have been handed down from time immemorial, 
by tradition alone; nor is it apparent, whether they ever ex- 
isted here in manuscript. A curious evidence of the accuracy 
of tradition in preserving these remains, may be noticed. Two 
of the poems transcribed, named Deirdri (the Darthula of 
M'Pherson) and Tuile, had been already published from 
southern manuscripts, in a volume entitled, Transactions of the 
Gaelic Society. This book, which was accidentally in the 
writer's possession, afforded an opportunity of comparing the 
poems taken from viva voce relation, with the printed copy ; 
and strange as it may seem, they were found to agree together, 
word for word, with the exception of a few lines in Deirdri, 
and four entire stanzas in Tuile ; which the written copy had 
evidently lost, and tradition preserved. An old man, of the 
name of Mulholland, who is now the most accurate depositary 
of those poems to be met with, continues at an advanced age 
to sing them with enthusiasm and delight. As there is a se- 
parate air for each poem, in which the melody is suited to the 
subject, it is probable that the original music is also preserved. 
The manner of preserving the accuracy of tradition, is singular, 
and worthy of notice. In the winter evenings, a number of 
Seanachies often meet together, and recite alternately these 
traditionary stories. If any one repeats a passage, which ap- 
pears to another to be incorrect, he is immediately stopped ; 
when each gives a reason for his way of reciting the passage ; 
the dispute is then referred to a vote of the meeting ; and the 
decision of the majority becomes imperative on the subject 
for the future. This plan, added to the measure of the poetry, 
and also that of the music, may account for the accurate pre- 
servation of these ancient poems.''* 

Assuredly the poetical parts of the Scriptures in Irish, even 
considered as merely human compositions, would interest 
these people. How delightful, then, would it be to hear 
them thus reciting the " Songs of Zion," which infinitely ex- 
ceed in true majesty, pathos, and beauty, the " Songs of 
Selma !" And why have the lovers of God's word never tried, 
to turn this universal taste of the Irish for poetry, and their 
devotedness to our ancient language, towards the Songs of 
Moses, and of Miriam; the hymns of Simeon, Mary, and 
Elizabeth, and the poetry of Joel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah ? 
Surely the saying is true, that " the children of this world are 
wiser, in their generation, than the children of Light. "f 

* S. Mason's Survey, i. 517, f Luke xvi. 8. 



so 



PREJUDICE IX. 

The Irish are more anxious to have their children taught 
English. 

ANSWER. 

Certainly they are very anxious, that their children should 
know En : and wisely, because by it alone is profit or prefer- 
ment to be acquired; and they themselves would be glad, that 
they also had learned it, for it is, in almost all cities and towns, 
the language of shops, markets, and fairs; and is the universal 
language of bank notes, books, and courts of law. But what has 
this to do with the question of our duty to give the Scriptures, 
and the power to read them, in Irish, to such as either now. or 
until English shall have become the exclusive language of Ire- 
land, (if this ever occur,) use Irish only, and by it alone can be 
instructed in the " Wondrous things out of God's law."* 

Again — What argument is their anxiety to have their chil- 
dren taught a second language, in disproof of their wish to be 
enabled, themselves to read their only language? 

Let it be carefully remembered, that the real and sole question 
is, as to the obligation imposed upon the rich in these coun- 
tries, to communicate without delay in the most intelligible 
Jongue, the truths of God's revelation to those who neither do, 
nor ever will know our language. Bearing this constantly in 
mind, will much simplify the consideration of the path which 
we should pursue, and will at once shew that such objections 
as this, and several others, either already or hereafter men- 
tioned, are totally irrelevant to the matter in dispute. 



PREJUDICE X. 



English is annually extending, and Irish proportionably de- 
clining. 

ANSWER. 

This is, in one sense, undoubtedly true, (though not so in 
another) and the various extracts from S. Mason's Collection 
of Parochial Surveys, quoted in the answer to Prejudice 1st, 
put it so far beyond dispute. English is extending; both by 
immigration from England, by the multiplication of the English 
population of Ireland, and also at the expense of Irish. But 
a moment's consideration will shew, that English may become 
more diffused, without the actual number who now speak Irish 

* Psalm cxix. 18. 



31 

being at all less than it was fifty years ago. The natural con- 
stant encrease by births, among that part of our population 
which uses Irish, must as well be taken into our calculation. 
And if this be done, no argument will be required, to prove 
to any one, acquainted with the rapid advance of population 
among this people, that thus the number, actually speaking 
Irish, is augmented faster than the acquisition of English di- 
minishes it. 

The true cause of this encrease of the Irish speakers being 
so generally overlooked, has been, that they mostly inhabit in- 
land or remote, mountainous, and neglected districts ; while the 
English live under our eyes in towns, suburbs, and -fertile 
plains : and that we see daily settling among the latter, many 
of the former, whose children, then, naturally relinquish Irish; 
while, on the contrary, we seldom see any of the speakers of 
English resigning it entirely for the native language. This, 
certainly, occurs but rarely now ; and when it does, it is in situ- 
ations retired and isolated, which fall not under our observa- 
tion ; but it would be easy to prove, that formerly the Irish 
language, in many parts of the kingdom, made as much inroad 
upon En. in some secluded districts, as the latter did on the 
former in the neighbourhood of cities. The frequency of En. 
names, in places now entirely Ir ; where it is known that colo- 
nies from England were introduced, puts this beyond dispute. 
The same fact is mentioned as to the En. language in Scotland ; 
where many of the En. speakers, planted instead of the ex- 
pelled Highlanders, in process of time, by frequent conversa- 
tion with their neighbours, instead of propagating En. learned 
Gaelic; so that the clergy began to preach in Gaelic in the prin- 
cipal Churches.* 

Another circumstance deserving consideration is, that 
the Ir. language prevails, and has been perpetuated, to a 
much greater degree, among the Roman Catholics than among 
the Protestants ; which makes the importance of using it, 
as a means of education in Ireland, obviously greater, in pro- 
portion to the number of the former. One cause of this ad- 
herence, amidst many arising from their peculiar circumstances, 
has been what is mentioned by the writer of the survey of 
Ardbraccan Parish, Coy- Meath.f " With very few excep- 
tions the lower orders of Protestants are tradesmen, while 
by far the greater number of the 11. Catholic population is 
employed in husbandry ; and several of the females are em- 
ployed in agricultural pursuits, in harvest and other busy- 
seasons ;' consequently they live much less in towns or villages 
than the Protestants, and are therefore more slow in perceiving 

* Answer to Objections against Printing the Bible ia Irish (Gaelic) 
Appendix to Robert Boyle's Life. v. i. p. 121 — 123. 
f S. Mason's Surv. i. 93. 



or adopting the changes introduced by society and educations 
A similar observation is made by the Writer of Drumcannon 
Union, Co v - Waterford.* " There being no trade nor manu- 
facture carried on, the occupation of the females as well as 
males, is mostly about agriculture ; and consequently the lower 
classes of women in the Co>'- of Waterford may be considered 
as the greatest slaves upon earth." He adds, as we might have 
expected, "There are many in these parishes who do not speak 
a word of En. especially in Ballvnakill, though so near Water- 
ford (City), and yet it is generally used there ( ?) but the 
country people in their dealings and communications constantly 
speak Irish." 

From the above various considerations it is plain that the 
number actually speaking Ir. is considerably greater than it. 
was formerly; even though En. has made, and is making daily 
encroachments on the native language. 



PREJUDICE XL 

The sooner Irish is extinct the better. 

ANSWER. 

This prejudice is in truth nothing more than a mere matter 
of opinion, about which men may conscientiously differ, with- 
out at all affecting the main question ; which, I wish it to be 
ever distinctly remembered, relates to our duty to turn Irish, so 
Jong as it may exist, into a means of instructing our country- 
men. I might therefore pass it over in silence altogether. 
By the way, however, I wish, to inform those who may hold this 
opinion, that they differ from the great Dr. Samuel Johnson, who 
says, " I am not very willing, that any language should be to- 
tally extinguished. The similitude, and derivation of lan- 
guages, afford the most indubitable proof of the traduction 
of nations, and the genealogy of mankind. They frequently 
add physical certainty to historical evidence, and often supply 
the only evidence of ancient migrations, and of the revolution 
of ages, which have left no written monuments behind. "f 
That such is the case with respect to Irish, may be found 
singularly illustrated in a work of Sir Lawrence Parsons (Earl 
of Rosse) called " Observations on a considerable bequest of 
lands, by the late celebrated Henry Flood, Esq. to Trinity 
College Dublin, for an Irish professorship, and the purchase 
of Irish manuscripts ; with a defence of the ancient history 
of Ireland, 8vo. Dub. 1795." 

* S. Mason's Surv. i. 225—226. 
f Johnson's Works, 12mo. Edin. 1806, xv. 163; and Brief Sketch, Ap- 
pendix K. 



S3 

And I may further add in confirmation a curious fact, which, 
ft's far as I know, has not been noticed in books ; viz. that 
many of the names of the Irish letters, in the most ancient 
alphabet, called Bobel-lot ; — as old, it is supposed, as the Chris- 
tian era ;* — are Jewish appellatives either of persons or things. 
For example : Lot— David — Cain— Gath— Reuben— Achab — 
Hosea— -Uriah— Esau— Jachin — Ephraim, «&c. are respectively 
the names of 1. d. c. g. r. a. o. u. ea. ia. ue. &c. A circum- 
stance unaccounted for by any historical fact that I know ; 
but certainly in some degree corroborative of the popular 
tradition, that at a very ancient period some Judeans emigrated 
into Ireland. 

But let any one, who objects to our using Ir. to impart re- 
ligious instruction, to such as have not yet come over to the 
language of England, consider a few important questions. If six 
or seven centuries, since Henry's conquest, have elapsed; and 
Ir. be still spoken, and by a population far greater than that of all 
Ireland in his time; how many ages will be required to extin- 
guish it ? How many generations will pass through life in Ire- 
land, without reading or even speaking En. before Ir. dies a 
natural death ? The number now speaking Ir. has been abun* 
dantly proved to be at least two millions ; — Every genera- 
tion of men is thirty years ; — Suppose that it requires no mote 
than six centuries to extirpate the language; — In the interim, 
twenty generations will live and die, in ignorance of the sacred 
Scriptures, unless taught through the medium of Irish. Can 
any person prove clearly, that during this interval the in- 
roads of the English language will diminish the number of 
those, who use the aboriginal tongue, faster than re-production 
among themselves will multiply their population ? Suppose I 
grant for the present that it will ; even though the experience 
of history since Ireland's annexation to England, proves the re- 
verse: still, let me ask; — Will not, in these twenty generations, at 
least forty millions pass over the stage of life in our island, 
with a claim to be taught by us, or our posterity, in the only 
language they will understand, The Irish ? Doth not Christ 
say, a man's soul is worth more than " the whole world ?"+ 
What then is the value of so many millions of immortal 
Beings? Is it not terrific to look back upon the countless myriads 
of Irish, who have died in ignorance of God's message of 
mercy, since 1571, when the first fount of Ir. types was pur- 
chased by an English Queen, and cent to Dublin; and as yet 
almost totally neglected, by those who were commanded, and 
in duty bound, to use them? Oh surely, if we knew rightly the 
value of this soul of ours, for which Jesus died, we could 



* Irish Grammar, by Rev. Paul O-Biien, 8ve. Dub. 1SG9, p. 4, 205. 
f Matthew xvi. 26. 

E 



S4 

not be indifferent to the claims of so many of our accountable 
imperishable fellow-countrymen, who have " no other name 
but his, given under heaven, by which they must be saved?"* 



PREJUDICE XII. 

Abolishing Irish Schools and Books is the most efficacious 
way to cause disuse of the language. 

ANSWER. 

To banish the Ir. language, supposing this to be deter- 
mined on hist, as desirable; the only way is to enlighten 
the Ir. people. This can be effected solely through the lan- 
guage they understand. Ignorance will never avert preju- 
dice, in any people; and least of all in the Ir. poor, whose 
prepossession against the En. Bible, is " a threefold cord, not 
quickly broken ;' f — composed of aversion to the tongue of 
the conquerors of their ancestors, doubt of the fidelity of a 
translation professedly Protestant, and the influence of the 
injunction of their Church ; not to " Search the Scriptures" 
•—cords all bound together by the natural unwillingness of the 
human heart, to " Submit itself unto the righteousness of God."|| 
But to cause desire of information, you must open some inlet 
to knowledge ; and what other can you open so readily, as 
that presented by the language they already know perfectly ? 
And the course hitherto pursued, has notoriously failed in uni- 
versalizing Eti; after entailing grosser mental darkness on the 
people. The rich would not teach except in En.; and in it 
the Ir. people either could not, or would not learn. 

Again, — attempting to abolish a language; by not teaching 
to read it, or by enforcing the reading of another, as the 
only channel of instruction, is an old experiment often tried, 
never successful, and proved futile by the following facts, f 
William I. our Norman Conqueror, compelled all instruction 
of En. children in School's, all laws and judicial pleadings, 
to be in French; thinking to conquer the language with the 
land : but lost his labour. — Edward II. finally rejected the 
pleadings. — Some French words mingled with En. ; — but this 
latter still continues the universal tongue of England. $ The 
Franks equally failed in Gaul, and the Goths in Spain and 
Italy.$ From 1678 to 1708, it was attempted to destroy the 
Wenden dialect of Slavonian, tenaciously retained for ages 
amidst Germans, by the Venedi tribe, in either Lusatia, Si- 



th 



* Acts iv. 12. f Eceles. iv. 12. \ Anderson's Memorial p. 55. 

& Inquiries touching the diversity of languages, tlnough the chief parts of 

• world, by Ed. Brerewood, Lun. 1*674, p. 27. || Rom. x. 3. 



lesia, &c. by placing German Schools, and generally minis- 
ters ignorant of Wenden, in every church, and not printing 
any books ; in order to force them to learn German. Ail 
efforts failed. The children always wilfully forgot at home, 
what was unwillingly learned at school ; which the parents, 
speaking only Wenden, naturally encouraged. The pastors 
being thus " Barbarians"* to them ; the old, but especially the 
women, were unedined ; and after many years neither under- 
stood the others. This want of books of piety, fomenting ig- 
norance, without kindling any wish for German works, 
(which, not knowing, they despised;) these unhappy people 
were reduced to a miserable condition :— unacquainted with 
letters, without a single book, or the least spiritual instruction; 
or any help to devotion, except a hymn or two got by heart; 
or any sermons : and without a single part of the Scriptures in 
print. At last King Frederick remedied these evils, by en- 
couraging one pastor, who learned Wenden, to publish a cate- 
chism and the New Testament in it ; with the Psalms in 
metre, and some Hymns. He opened a Wenden School ; and 
afterwards others in the neighbouring parishes, at their peo- 
ple's request. Hundreds of children were now taught to read; 
and often their parents lenrnetl from them ; though these had 
previously thought that their offspring might be as happy in 
ignorance as themselves; and, from a secret envy, were un- 
willing that others should know more than they. In several 
places, unsupplied with Schools, some one or other of the ser- 
vants, while engaged in business, instructed the rest in reading. f 

In 1765, it was tried to abolish the vernacular Bohemian, 
(Tschechnish dialect of Slavonian,) spoken generally among 
the peasantry, and even among persons of rank, by introducing 
German teachers into all Schools ; but unsuccessfully. 4; A 
more Christian way is now trying, by reprinting the Bohemian 
Bible ; — And 8 ; 00() copies in seven years, have been insufficient 
for the people's desire to read their own Scriptures. 

Well therefore might Richardson say in 1712, " How wise 
and how practicable a design to destroy Irish was, we may 
learn from experience; for after the trial of near two hundred 
years, we find little or no progress made in it. They stili re- 
tain their language. Nay, the Ir. is so far from being abo- 
lished, that it hath spread as much among the British, in pro- 
portion to their number, as the En. language among the Tv"§ 
Of this fact to which I before alluded, more modern instances 



* ] Corinth, xiv. II. 

f Letter from the Rev. Dr. Jablonski ; First chaplain to the King of Prus- 
sia, to J. Chamberlayne, Esq. dated Berlin, May, 5, 1714 — -Richai-dson on 
Pilgrimages, Dub. 1727, Appendix. — Brief Sketch, Appendix L. 

I Historical and Political description of Germany, 4to Lou. 1800, p. 83. 

$ Richardson's history, &c. p. 110. 



n proof could be adduced, if it were at all necessary to our 
general argument. But, as it is not ; my wish to be brief urge? 
me to condense, and even to curtail whatever is not indispensable. 



PREJUDICE XIII. 

Teaching to read Irish, discourages learning English. 

ANSWER. 

King Charles I. thought differently ; for at the very moment 
when expressing most anxiety to extend En. he ordeied the 
New Testament and Prayer Book in Ir. to be printed ; and to 
be read by all Cleigymen, or by readers appointed by them.* 

Dr. Johnson confirms his opinion, by saying, " It is not cer- 
tain that the same method will not preserve the (Gaelic) lan- 
guage for purposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. 
When the Highlanders read the Bible, they will naturally wish 
to have its obscurities cleared up; and to know the history, col- 
lateral and dependant. Knowledge always desires en crease ; 
it is like fire, which must be kindled by some external agent, 
but which will afterwards propagate itself. — When they once 
desire to learn, they will naturally have recourse to the near- 
est language, by which that desire can be gratified ; and one 
will tell another, that if he would attain knowledge he must 
learn English." " This speculation may, perhaps, be thought 
more subtle than the grosMiess of real life will easily admit. — 
Let it. however, be remembered that the efficacy of ignorance 
has long been tried, and has not produced the consequence 
expected. — Let knowledge, therefore, take its turn; and let 
the patrons of privation stand awhile aside, and admit the ope- 
ration of positive principles. "\ 

Dr. Jablouski in the letter before quoted, says, that it is cer- 
tain, the small progress of some of the Venedi, in reading 
their own tongue, so raised their appetite, that of their own 
accord, they applied themselves to learn German, to enjoy the 
benefit of its books ; * Whereby what it was believed would hin- 
der German, evidently turned to its encrease."^: 

The Rev. G. Jones, the originator of Welsh circulating 
Schools, says " Sure I am, the Welsh Charity Schools do in no 
way hinder to learn En. but do very much contribute to it — and 
perhaps, Sir, you will allow, that learning our own language first, 
is the most expeditious way to come to the knowledge of another; 



* Brief Sketch, Appendix D. 
f Johnson's works. 12moEdin. 1806, xv. 164. 

\ Rev. Dr. Jablonski's letter to J. Chamberlayne, Esq.— Appendix to 
Richardson on Pilgrimages, Dub. 1727. 



«7 

else why are not your youths in England, designed for scholars, 
set to Latin and Greek, before they are taught En. ?"* 

The Rev. Alexander Stewart, in his introduction to the Gaelic 
Grammar says, that " by learning to read, and to understand 
what he reads, in his native tongue, an appetite is generated 
for the stores of science, which are accessible to him only 
through the medium of the En. language. Having an ac- 
quaintance with En. is found to be necessary, for enabling him 
to gratify this desire after further attainments. — The study Gf 
it becomes of course a matter of importance. — It is com- 
menced and prosecuted with increasing diligence. These pre- 
mises seem to warrant a conclusion, which might at first sight 
appear paradoxical, that by cultivating the Gaelic you effec- 
tually, though indirectly, promote and diffuse the knowledge of 
En." 

The Rev. T. Charles, says of the Welsh, that previous in- 
struction in their native tongue, helps to learn En. much sooner ; 
instead of proving any inconvenience. Of this he had re- 
peated proofs ; and adds, that acquiring new ideas by reading a 
language they understood, naturally excites to seek knowledge; 
and as Welsh is very deficient in books, a desire to learn En. is 
excited. Twenty now read En. for one when Welsh was ne- 
glected. En. becomes necessary for the treasures in its books, 
which are now generally called for; and there were when he 
wrote, a hundred books for every one that was in his parish, 
when he first came into it. En. schools were then every where 
called for, obliging him to send young men to En. schools to 
be trained up for En. teachers, to answer in some degree, the 
general demand. -j- 

Besides, let me ask those who say, that it is to the silent 
operation of daily intercourse between the En. and Ir. 
speakers, that we are to trust for the promotion and extension 
of En. for which they are so anxious. Will teaching Ir. 
speakers to read their own language, lessen in any degree the 
number, who already speak En. around them ? Will enabling 
the poor to read the Irish Bible, diminish their self-interested 
motives to learn En ; the only language of the rich, and the 
sole road to promotion or knowledge ? Just let them observe 
what the writer of one parochial survey says ; " The tenures 
of land, the proceedings at law, and the intercourse between 
landlord and tenant, superinduced the necessity of a new lan- 
guage, and the almost total dereliction of the old. "J The 
writer of another says, " They are acquiring a tolerable know- 
ledge of En. now, since their ideas are whetted by commercial 
intercourse with the neighbouring fairs and markets." $ The 

* Welsh Piety, &c. vol. i. Anderson's Memorial, p* 41. f Ander- 

son's Memorial, ^>. 48. \ S. Mason's Surv. i. 47. § S. Mason's Surv. 
i, 184. 



38 

writer of a third says, "All the men, however, and many of 
the women, can speak En ; which the necessity of transacting 
business in the low lands obliges them to adopt."* Will not all 
these motives and inducements to learn En. continue to operate 
and even increase in force ? And will not many new ones be 
called into action ? 

Will not their knowing one book, awaken or augment the 
wish to know others ; and where are these to be found except 
in En. ? Do not all other nations, after getting the Bible from 
our Missionaries, seek other books, and new works on the 
various subjects of knowledge ;f And will not the Irish, find- 
ing themselves unable to procure sufficient books in Irish, on 
any branch of knowledge whatever, seek for them in En. ? 
Does not our mind as it enlarges, grow in inquisitiveness and 
thirst for information, so as to seek in the next language 
the gratification, not attainable in its own? Else why do we, 
having first learned En. afterwards proceed to French, Italian, 
or German, to Latin, Greek, or Hebrew ? 

Will any wise man sow ignorance, by refusing to teach the 
poor to read any language, and expect to reap knowledge, 
the offspring of curiosity excited by previous information ? 
Can you expect a man to renounce his old, his only language, 
unless you first furnish him with means and motives to acquire 
a new one ; And how can this be done except through that 
which he already knows? Finally, is the thirst for knowledge 
more ardent, among the uneducated and illiterate, or among 
the instructed and enlightened? There can be but one an- 
swer given to any of these questions ; and that answer will 
fortify, 1 believe, the side of the argument which this pamphlet 
espouses.:}: ________ 

PREJUDICE XIV. 

Irish is difficult to learn. 

ANSWER. 

So are all languages to those who do not understand them ? 
But though learning Ir. so as to speak it, be difficult to a 
stranger ; yet. the power of reading it, is of very easy acqui- 
sition to any one ; especially to such as already know and 
speak Ir. fluently and habitually. This is all 1 argue for ; 
this is what I desire to see effected ; never intending to at- 
tempt to prove it our business to provide gratuitous aid in 
learning it, for any others. Such as wish to acquire Ir. to be 
of use to their countrymen, either by reading the Scriptures, 

* S. Mason's Surv. i. 320. f British and Foreign Bible Society '& Re- 

ports, passim. Missionary Register, passim. } Many of the arguments 

in this and the preceding answers, are selected from the Brief Sketch, An- 
derson, and the Irish Society's Reports. 



S9 

by schools, or by preaching ; or who study it, as others do dead 
languages, in gratification of their curiosity, and as a means 
of literary and philological investigation, may very well, I 
conceive, be left to their own exertions and motives. 

Daily experience shews, that the Ir. learn to read their lan- 
guage much sooner, than we can acquire the art of reading 
our En. tongue;* and the reason is manifest to any one who 
for a moment considers the extraordinary discrepancy, be- 
tween the spelling and the pronunciation of En. words. Ir. 
is much more uniform, and its orthoepy much more corres- 
pondent with its orthography. Welsh, Manks and Gaelic, 
dialects cognate with Ir. are in exactly similar circum- 
stances with it as to En. Now in Wales, Isle of Man, 
and the Highlands and Hebrides, it was found, that learn- 
ing En. required from two to four or five years ; while 
they could learn to read their own language in periods of from 
twelve days to a few months, in proportion to age, talent, as- 
siduity, and the number of hours during which they could at- 
tend School.f 

The same has been repeatedly proved in various Ir. schools 
in Ireland. 



PREJUDICE XV. 

Teaching English at once is easier and also more expeditious. 

ANSWER. 

I think the answers to the previous objection, may well have 
made this one doubtful, even without my bringing forward the 
authority of Dr. Johnson, to prove the truism that " Every man 
is more speedily instructed by his own language, than by any 
other;" or the sound reasoning of the author of the Brief 
Sketch, w T ho argues thus : Were the broad question asked, 
through what language can moral or religious or any instruction 
be given most easily, speedily, and efficiently to a people ? 
the answer undoubtedly would be; through that which they 
understand best and love most ; the language of their thoughts 
and feelings. The objector to the extension of this general 
principle to any particular case, must therefore prove that 
there is something peculiar in such individual instance, which 
would prevent its application. 

But, let us come to facts ; which, as I love them mvself in 



* Brief S vetch, p. 61. f Gaelic School Society's Reports, 1st. p. 55. 

57, 65. 2d. p. 5, 7, 25. "Welsh Piety, or accounts of circulating Welsh 
Charity Schools, from 1757 to 1755, Svo. 3 vol. Brief Sketch p, 62. 



40 

discussion, must, I believe, be with others the most convincing 
argument's. Do missionaries to foreign countries ever attempt 
to teach the natives, except through the vernacular language of 
the country in which the}' dwell ? 

The Reverend G. Jones, whom I have already quoted, asserts, 
that the attempting to banish Welsh by teaching En. is as un- 
likely to bring ail the Welsh to use En. as teaching French would 
be to prevail on all the common people of England to use, or 
even to learn French. Should, he adds, all Welsh books, bibles, 
preaching and public worship, be taken away, to bring them to 
a disuse of their tongue ? They are so in man}' places. " The 
more our misery," says he. Yet the people are no more better 
scholars, than better Christians for it. Welsh is still the vulgar 
tongue. En. charity schools produced no effect whatever in 
the country parts. AH that the children learned in three, four, 
or five years, was to read some easy parts of the En. Bible, 
without knowing its meaning; and they soon forgot it, as they had 
been learning only a foreign tongue at school, and had none at 
home with whom to converse in it. Thus, though so long at 
En. schools, they could not edify themselves or others, by read- 
ing ; until they learned lately to read in their native tongue at 
the Welsh schools. And he adds these emphatic words, as the 
result of his observation — " Experience now proves, beyond dis- 
pute, that if ever it be attempted to bring all the Welsh people 
to understand En.; we cannot better pave the way for it, than 
by teaching them to read their own language first."* 

The Rev. T. Charles, of Bala (Wales), in a letter to Ander- 
son, dated 4th January, 1811, f says, that in the beginning, the 
strong prejudice universally prevailing against teaching to read 
Welsh first ; and the idea assumed, that they would not learn 
En. so well, if previously instructed in Welsh, proved a great 
stumbling block ; with another fancy, that once reading En. 
they would, even of themselves, learn to read Welsh. Now, 
however, these groundless conceits are universally exploded. f 
He adds J, that the period required for learning to read the 
Bible in their vernacular tongue, docs not generally exceed six 
months, whereas teaching English requires some years ; 
during which period they are concerned only about dry terms ; 
without receiving an idea for their improvement. Welsh words, 
however, as soon as read, convey ideas to their infant minds ; 
which is never the case when reading a language they do not 
understand. He concludes, by saying, " What I have put 
down here, is equally applicable to the Irish and the High- 
landers." 

* Welsh Piety, or Collection of Accounts of Circulating Schools, from 
1757 to 1755. f Anderson's Memorial, p. 42, 46. } Anderson's 

Memorial, p. 47, HO. 



41 

Again — if you teach En. first, the same will occur as in 
the Highlands; where persons were not uncommonly met, 
reading En. fluently, without understanding a word of it.* But> 
if you instruct them first in Ir ; every word, learned or pro- 
nounced in reading, will have at once a meaning; because they 
had been accustomed to use and hear it. in conversation. 
Thus, a Welshman, in a letter to Mr. Anderson, f says, " When 
they can read Welsh, scriptural terms become intelligible and 
familiar; so as to enable them to understand the discourses de- 
livered in that language, (generally preached throughout the 
principality;) — which, of course, must prove more •profitable, 
than if they could not read at all, or read only the En. language." 
" By teaching Welsh first, we prove to them, that we are prin- 
cipally concerned about their souls ; and therefore naturally 
impress their minds, with the vast importance of acquiring the 
knowledge of divine truths, in which the way of salvation, and 
our duty toGod and man, are revealed. Whereas that most im- 
portant point is totally out of sight by teaching them En : for 
the acquisition of En. is connected only with their temporal 
concerns ; — and what, they may never want ; for they may, as 
the majority do, die in infancy." 



PREJUDICE XVI. 

There are enough of Irish books in circulation, for the num- 
bers who read or speak this language. 
ANSWER. 

Among 4*00,000 Gaelic speakers, in the Highlands and He- 
brides, there were, in 1815, about 50,000 Bibles and Testa- 
ments in circulation,, Among 600,000 Welsh, there were above 
100,000 : — And among at least two millions of Irish, there 
were then not above 3,000 New Testaments.^: 

Between 1748 and 1819, about 25,000 copies of various 
books ; — Bibles, Testaments, Gospels, Epistles, Catechisms, 
Prayer Books, &c. &c. were printed for the inhabitants of the 
Isle of Man ; where the Manks speakers, at the utmost, do not 
exceed as many thousand. Since the time, when he, who was 
the Lord of Life and Glory, came into this world " to save 
sinners ;'§ and sent forth his Apostles, to follow his example 
in ' preaching the Gospel unto the poor ;"|| down to this 
present day, there have been but a few more Bibles and Tes- 
taments printed, for all the generations of the whole nation of 
Irish speakers ! ! 

* Gzelic School Society's Reports. First, p. 5, ol. Second, p. 15. Sea 
also Welsh Piety, &c. f Anderson's Memorial, p. 48, 49. \ An* 

derson's Memorial, p. 6. Brief Sketch, p. 5G. Gaelic School Society's first 
Report, 3d edit,Edinburgh, 1812. p. 10. § 1 Tim. i. 16. || Matt. xi. 15, 

F 



42 

Is it no-t a most melancholy and unaccountable fact, that 
there has been no edition of the Irish Bible, for upwards of one 
hundred and fifty years ; and that al this very moment, ex- 
cept in the libraries of the curious, or of professed collectors of 
ancient books, there is scarcely a copy of the whole Scriptures 
in Irish, to be met ? How is it possible to account for this ne- 
glect, especially during the last twenty or thirty years ; when 
such efforts have been made to circulate the Scriptures, and 
the Bible has been either translated or printed, in upwards 
probably of one hundred languages? Can any one in these 
kingdoms, who is not professedly an enemy to the Scriptures 
being circulated at all, justify to himself such a negligence in 
his duty, towards those of his own nation and his own house- 
hold ?* 

" I say the truth in Christ, I lie not; my conscience also 
bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost ; that I have great hea- 
viness and continual sorrow in my heart ;" " for my brethren, 
my kinsmen according to the flesh :" " For I bear them record 
that they have a zeal of God, but not according toknowledge ;" 
" but, how shall they call on him, in whom they have not be- 
lieved, and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have 
not heard;" "for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God."f 



PREJUDICE XVII. 

We must be content, to sacrifice the present generation of 
adult, or even young Irish speakers to their ignorance, for the 
sake of their and our posterity; because leaving them without 
instruction, is better than encouraging this language, by teach- 
ing them to read. 

ANSWER. 

Who was it that said ; " Go ye into all the world, and preach 
the Gospel to every creature;"^: and, " Go ye, and teach all 
nations ?"$ Was it not that merciful Saviour, whom we 
" call our Lord and Master," || " yet do not the things that he 
says?"«|) And shall any, who profess his name, dare to say, that 
their Irish fellow- country men alone shall not hear his Gospel 
preached, or be taught in their own language ! Did not an 
Apocalyptic vision shew unto the Apostle, " an angel flying in 

* Tt is singular, that in the Catalogue of Bibles and Testaments in the 
Depository of the Hibernian Bible Society, the first under the head " Foreign 
Bibles, &c." is the " Irish Testament." I mention this in kind suggestion, 
hs a friend, for correction in their next Report; lest the witty laugh at it as 
un Irish blunder, or the hostile lay hold of it as a weapon of offence. I am 
well satisfied it is merely an inadvertence. f Bom. ix. 1. 2. 5. x. 2. 14. 

17. | Mark, ivi. 15. § Matthew, xxviii. 19. || John xiii.15. 

<f Luke vi. 46. 



43 

the midst of heaven ; having the everlasting Gospel to preach 
unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and 
kindred, and tongue, and people ?*'* And who will venture to 
oppose his flight over Ireland, or say " Unto this generation 
and my own kindred, in this tongue and unto my own people, 
the everlasting Gospel shall not be preached." Hath not the 
Lord Jehovah sworn, " As I live, every knee shall bow to me, 
and every tongue shall confess to God ? , 'f And who that saith 
he acknowledgeth, that " every one of us shall give an account 
of himself to God,'f will venture to assert this false, with re- 
spect to his contemporary Irish fellow-sinners ? 

But will anyone calmly and deliberately say, that he has 
a right, to inflict the penalty, of being consigned to the grave 
in ignorance of God's revelation, upon'two millions in the pre- 
sent generation, for the sake of a dubious benefit to their pos- 
terity ? when, too, none can tell, that such advantage will ever 
accrue to them, or even that they will ever exist, to enjoy it. 
Are the friends of Bible and Missionary Societies content, to 
leave in ignorance the adults in any foreisrn heathen land ; and 
will they in this country called Christian ? What prevented us 
from being still heathens, bowing down to Gods of wood and 
stone? Was it not preaching, the Bible, and schools, in the 
language, which the adults in this country understood, when the 
first Christian missionaries came, to " preach unto them the 
unsearchable riches of Christ?" And was it not adults who, 
in every country, were first converted to Christianity ? 

Besides, if you teach the present adult speakers of Irish, to 
read it, will they not thus acquire the best means of being in- 
structed in the revelation of God's mercy in his own Son, 
" ere they go hence, and be no more seen ?" And why not also 
teach children who, in some places, know both English and 
Irish, to read the latter language ; if it were merely to enable 
them to read the Irish scriptures to theiP' parents, who know 
no other tongue ? 

Kow interesting it is, in reading the Gaelic Society's Re- 
ports, to find, that in the Highlands and Islands, persons of 
every age, from 3 to 80 and even 90 years, have eagerly 
attended the schools, for teaching them to read their own 
language ; persons whom no arts of persuasion could have 
induced, to commence in their old age the study of a new 
one. There is an instance recorded of a Highland veteran, 
of 117 years of age, who had outlived several Kings and 
Queens, learning, at one of the circulating schools, to read. 
" in his own tongue. '"if the sacred Scriptures. ij: In Vv^ales, 
the same interesting scene was presented. The Rev. G. 

* Revelations, xiv. 6. f Romans, xiv. 11, 12. jj Acts, il. 8. 

I Gaelic Society's R^port&-^assirn— Anderson's Memorial, p. 56. 



6 



44 

Jones says ; Persons above 60 attended daily ; and others 
lamented even with tears, not having learned forty or fifty 
years sooner. Frequently the children taught the parents; and 
sometimes the parents and children of one family, attended 
the same circulating school ; and many, whose great age obliged 
them to use spectacles, seized the opportunity, and learned to 
read Welsh.* What a melancholy consideration it is, that 
there are so many hundreds of thousands of adults in Ireland, 
who are incapable of understanding the Scriptures, except in 
Ir; and yet wilfully left in ignorance of them, by those who 
uphold the prejudice at the head of this section. 

Only two days since I received a letter from a friend, whq 
has just made a pedestrian tour from Dublin to Cork ; who is 
totally ignorant of my intention to publish this pamphlet, and 
even of my interest about the Irish language. In this commu- 
nication, after saying, " I came by way of Wicklowand Wex- 
ford, and walked, on an average, about sixteen miles a day." 
lie adds, " I generally availed myself of all the information I 
could acquire from the peasantry ; and when an opportunity of- 
fered, put it on paper. In the Co>- Waterford I felt myself 
completely at a loss, not knowing Irish ; the knowledge of which 
would be invaluable to a person travelling as 1 was, &c. &c. 

It was but this very morning that I saw a woman, a native 
of the Co>- iMeath, (whom I was called to attend as a dispen- 
sary patient,) living in Church-street, in the very heart of this 
metropolis ; who was incapable of answering in En. even the 
few simple enquiries, which it was necessary I should make, 
relative to her feelings and symptoms, her disorder, and its 
cause. My knowledge of Ir was insufficient to remove this 
difficulty; and but that some of the rest of the family, knew some- 
what more of En. (though even they all, 1 believe, converse 
commonly in Ir.) I should have remained ignorant of some of 
the most important indications of the nature of her disorder, 
But what is this to the disease of the soul, Sin, in our immortal 
fellow-countrymen; who " are destroyed for lack of know- 
lcdge"f of its only remedy; — even that revealed in the Scrip- 
tures of God, the atoning death of the Son of the Blessed. 
" Is there no balm in Gilead ? Is there no Physician there ? 
Why, then, is not the health of the daughter of my people re- 
covered ?"t 

I will conclude this answer, by an extract from a letter of 
the Rev. Thomas Charles, relative to adult schools in Wales .* 
81 I have, of late, turned my attention more than ever, to the 
aged illiterate people in our country. On minute inquiries 
1 find, there are very many who cannot read, and of course 

* WV.sl) Piety, &c. Anderson's Memorial p. 68. 
f Hosea, iv. 6. \ Jeremiah, viii. 22. 



45 

a»e very ignorant ; though I had before given general exhor- 
tations on that head, and invited them to attend the schools : 
but with very little success. At last I determined to try what 
effect a school, exclusively for themselves, would have. I 
fixed upon a district, where, I had been informed, that most of 
the inhabitants above fifty years of age could not read ; and 
I prevailed on a friend to promise to attend, to teach them. I 
went there after a previous publication being given of my 
coming ; published the school, and exhorted them all to at- 
tend. My friend went there ; and eighteen attended the first 
Sunday. He found them in a state of most deplorable igno- 
rance. By condescension, patience, and kindness, he soon 
engaged them to learn ; and their desire of learning now be- 
came as great, as any we have seen among the young people. 
They had their little elementary books with them while at 
work ; and met in the evenings, of their own accord, to teach 
one another. Their school is now encreased to eighty-five 
persons ; and some of them read their testaments, though it- 
is not three months since it was commenced. Children are 
excluded from this school ; but we have another for 
t ]l era. The rumour of the success of this School, has spread 
abroad ; and has greatly removed the discouragement from 
attempting to learn, which old people felt, from the general 
persuasion that they could not learn at their age. This has 
been practically proved to be false : for old persons of seventy- 
five years of age, have learned to read in the School, to their 
great joy, &c. &c." * 



PREJUDICE XVIII. 

Teaching Irish will excite disaffection to the King, and dis- 
incline to English connection ; it will impede the amalgamation 
pf the two classes in this country, those who speak Irish, and 
those who speak English ; there are, therefore, many political 
motives against teaching it. 

ANSWER. 

Dr. Johnson says, " To delay for one year, or for a day, the 
most efficacious method of advancing Christianity, in compliance 
with any purposes that terminate on this side of the grave, is 
a crime, of which I know not that the world has yet had a pa- 
rallel, except in the practice of the planters in America; — a 
race of mortals, whom, I suppose, no other man wishes to re- 
semble ;"'f And the Almighty God, before whom each of us shall 
stand, to give an account of our stewardship, declares, " There 
shall be an innumerable great multitude, gathered out of all 

* Anderson's Memorial, p. 49. 51. 
f Johnson's Works. 12mo. Edin. 1806, vol. xv. p. 162 



46 



fl 



nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, standing before 
the throne, and before the Lamb ; crying aloud ' Salvation to 
our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb,'* 
" who redeemed us unto God by his blood, out of every kin- 
dred, and tongue % and people, and nation;"* And shall weak, 
erring; sinful man, attempt or think " to make God a liar,"-}- by 
striving to exclude his Irish fellow-countrymen from this 
glorious assembly. — " Wo ! unto him that striveth with his 
Maker.":): 

With an authority so awful, — as that of the Judge of quick 
and dead,- upon the same side of the argument with me; what 
use is there, in producing any further confutation of this pre- 
judice? I might ; therefore, be silent, for " Jehovah is King 
for ever and ever; v $ and no policy can be wise, but what 
works his will. Yet as it is necessary, where the happiness of 
so many of my compatriots is concerned, to obviate every pos- 
sible prejudice, that can interfere with their benefit, I proceed. 

Observe, then, there is a fallacy in the terms of this ob- 
jection ; as it is not for teaching Irish that I plead, but for 
instructing those who know it, to read the Bible in Irish. 
Hence, even the objector should allow, that if Irish ever were 
used as the language of disaffection and rebellion, there is no- 
thing so likely, — to make it purely that of loyalty, as enabling 
its speakers to read, on the authority of God, that subjection 
is due " unto the powers that be, which are ordained by 
God ;"|| that " unto Caesar are to be rendered the things that 
are Cccsars ;"** that " every soul should be subject unto the 
higher powers;"^ that ail are to "fear God, and honour 
the King ?\% that every man " should render unto all their 
dues; tribute, to whom tribute is due ; custom, to whom cus- 
tom ; fear, to whom fear ; honour, to whom honour ;§§" — or, to 
make it, in sincerity, that of peace, as reading on the sanction 
of God's command, and Christ's example, " Love your ene- 
mies." || || But it is needless to multiply quotations ; let us come 
to fact. Dr. Dewar mentions an Irishman that he met, 
who, on reading the. New Testament, exclaimed, *■* If this be 
true, it is impossible for me to remain a rebel. "^J 

Again, let me ask, do not the Gaels in Scotland — the Bri- 
tons in Wales — the Manks in the Isle of Man, — all, as well as 
the Irish, speaking dialects of Celtic, — live in perfect harmony 
with the Saxons in England, and with each other ? Are the 
Yv'elsh, Manks, or Highlanders^ disaffected to the Govern- 
ment, because it uses a different language ? Do not the Roman 

* Apocalypse of St. John. vii. 9, v. 9. f 1 John, v. 10. 

-\ Isaiah, xiv. 9. § Psalms, x. 16. xxix. ] 0. ft Tkus ; iii. !. 

Rom. xiii. 1. *jf Rom. xiii.l. ** Math. xxii. 21. Mark, xii. 1-7. 

Luke, xx. 15. \\ 1 Peter, ii. 17. §§ Romans, xiii. 6, 7. 

fill Matt, v, 44 \\ Dewar's Observations, p. 137. 



4f 

Catholics^of the Highlands and Hebrides, and the Protestants 
of Wales and the Isle of Man, equally use dialects cognate 
with Erse? And who have served our Government better than 
the Highlanders ? 

In fact, the disunion in Ireland, which has so long been its 
curse, has arisen, not from difference of language, but from 
political and religious feuds, from traditionary prejudices and 
heieditary recollections; but above all, from the want of a 
Scriptural education of the Poor, and the neglect of circu- 
lating among them that book, which publisheth " peace on 
earth, good will amongst men." 

Besides, it is manifest that Christian principles, and com- 
munity of feelings, bind more strongly ; — and that similarity in 
sentiment amalgamates people more completely ; — than mere 
identity of language. Tims there are in history, as well as at 
present, (for instance Russia,) hundreds of examples of tribes 
and nations of differing tongues, who live peacefully and hap- 
pily under the same government. 

It has also, in relation to this subject, been well observed 
by the author of the Brief Sketch, &c. &c. that the religion 
of the Scriptures has essentially similar laws, customs, and opi- 
nions, in every country; and that revelation addresses to the 
heart, the very same language in the Ir. as in the En. Bible 
— wherefore an Erse and an English Gospel, will, if believed, 
and made influential by the power of the Holy Spirit, pro-, 
duce identical manners, tempers, and hopes,* 



PREJUDICE XIX. 

At all events, the Irish character should not be used in 
the books printed. 

ANSWER. 

The strong popular prepossession of Ir. Scholars for the 
ancieni character, generally known, should be respected, in 
the spirit of this quotation from the great apostle of the 
Gentiles, " To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I bight 
gain the Jews.' -j- 

The following anecdotes put the importance of attending 
to national prejudices, (and to this, among others,) in a strong 
point of view. Bishop Bedell, who first published the Bible 
in the Irish language and character, was uninjured during 
his iife. though he lived in the time of a rebellion ; and was 
so much respected, even by the rebels, that they attended 
his funeral, at which their Chiefs paid him military honours : 

* See Brief Sketch, &c. for an amplification of several of the abo*e »!- 
guuients. 

f 1 Corinth, ix. 20. See also 19, 21, 22. 






is 

While one of them said, « May this hast of the English resi 
in peace;" and a Roman Catholic Priest who happened to 
be present, exclaimed, "Oh. may my soul be with Bedel!!"* 
Thus a short time since, an Irishman, on being shewn a Bi- 
ble in his native language and character, broke out in de- 
light, <■ This is our own Bible indeed, root and branch." 
Both these anecdotes, and numberless others which I might 
produce, from the records of the various Schools, lately opened 
for teaching the Poor to read the Irish language, throw an 
interesting light upon the singular note, which Fitzralph, 
(Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, in 1347,)— the first 
translator of the Testament into Irish, — wrote at the end of 
his manuscript, before his death; when he placed it in a con- 
cealed recess in his Church, and had it built up with a wall, 
" When this book is found, truth will be revealed to the world, 
or Christ will shortly appear."f 

But let us examine a little closer the arguments in favour 
of the Irish character, resulting from the nature of its al- 
phabet. The Irish alphabet has but eighteen letters, of which 
all, except six or seven, strike the eye at once as being Eng- 
lish written or printed letters, formed with a slight difference of 
manner, in a cramp, sharp hand. Even of these six or seven, 
(excepting the characters for s and r), the resemblance to 
their corresponding English letters is such, as to be imme- 
diately perceived, and remembered, when once pointed out. 

Thus, any one can, at first view, read this saying of the 
apostle Paul ;£ which, by the way, admirably bears upon the 
picsent question. 

I am made all things to all men. 
1 -aw ttufce M thm$Y zo M met)' 

Now the only plausible reason, for using the Roman charac- 
ter in printing Irish books, is, that it may, as the objector 
says, facilitate the future acquisition of English reading. A 
very little consideration, however, will, at once shew, that so 
far from facilitating, it will impede. For there are many 
letters, and combinations of letters, in Irish, which have a 
power or sound, totally different from what the same letters 
have in English. Consequently, if, in learning the former, 
certain sounds have become associated with these in the mind ; 
the learner, when he commences English, will have to unlearn 
so much, and to dissolve this connexion ; or else he will be 
led into endless mistakes, and be disgusted with the attempt ; 
by his unavoidably, until often corrected, transferring to the 

* Harris's Ware, fol. Dub. 1739. i. 240, 241. 

f Bale, Script. Brit. Cent. xiv. p. 246. Usher's Historia Dogmaiica, &c« 
p. 15o. Fox's acts and monuments, Vol. i. p. 473. 
i 1 Cor, ix. 2-2. 



49 

pronunciation of English, the rules for pronouncing, that hehact 
received in learning Irish. This difficulty will, in a great 
degree, be done away, by his using a different alphabet for 
each language. In page 26 we have seen the result of 
persons attempting to read Irish, printed in the Roman letter,f 
who had been taught to read English in that character. They 
pronounced the words so incorrectly, as to make them abso- 
lutely unintelligible. A similar effect would occur, from a 
man's attempting to read English, who had learned to read 
Irish in the Roman letter. 

Besides, in Irish types, there is a provision made, for print- 
ing various letters with dots over them ; by which their pro- 
nunciation is totally altered, and they become, in fact, new 
letters, as effectually as an n becomes an 111 by an additional 
stroke to it. There is, for this, no provision in English types.. 
Thus, p dotted, becomes f : b or m dotted, become V or W: 
t and S dotted, are h : d dotted, becomes y, or sometimes 
the Greek aspirated r ; f dotted, is mute : c dotted, becomes 
gh or ll : g dotted, is sometimes y : & c . & c . 

To express the influence of these dots, the only method 
in English type, is by the clumsy addition of an h, after 
each such letter. And, as this letter, if thus added, is found 
to form one ninth of the whole number of letters used, it will, 
consequently, necrease by one ninth the expense of composition, 
printing, paper, type, time, &c* &c. 

Again, it is much easier to learn Irish in its own character, 
because the word being compressed into a smaller compass, 
is more easily taken in at once by the eye ; whereas, if printed 
in En. type, the constant repetition of mute letters would swell 
the words to an inconvenient length. Any one looking at 
Irish words thus printed, will see the justness of this obser- 
vation to be much greater, than they could have suspected. 

Besides, the Irish types have several contractions for whole 
words : thus, the Irish word ' ; agus," is expressed by a single 
character. Now, as this word occurs 46,227 times in the Bible, 
the expense of paper, time, and type, &c. for 138,681 letters, 
will be saved by this single contraction. The saving by the 
other simple contractions, will be also very considerable. 

The following reasons also plead for the use of the Irish 
character. — From the time of Queen Elizabeth to that of 
Queen Anne, all the active promoters of the circulation of 
the Irish Bible, used the native letter, except in one edi- 
tion, in 1692. — The British and Foreign Bible Society have 
stereotyped the New Testament, in this character. The Prayer 

Book has also been edited in it The Gospel of St. Luke 

lias been printed in the ancient type, — by Robert Newen- 

f That these Testaments must have been in the Roman character, is 
proved by the date of S. Mason's book, being several years prior to the 
stereotyping of the New Testameot in the Irish character by the J3/iti|b ; 
and Foreign £ible Society. 

G 



50 



ham, Esq ; — and the Proverbs, Genesis, and Exodus, witH, 
various elementary books, — by Mr. Connellan. Several other 
useful School books have been published in it, by various in- 
dividuals and Societies The best grammars, every dictionary, 

and all manuscripts, use this character. — Several printers in 
Dublin have founts of Irish types, and a very large one has 
been lately cut in London, by one of the best type-founders 
in Europe, for the purposes advocated in this pamphlet. 



PREJUDICE XX. 

This is a novel scheme, unsanctioned by great, wise, or 
good men of past ages. 

ANSWER, 

This has been so well answered already, in Anderson's Me- 
morial, and more at length by the author of the Brief Sketch; 
that I think it unnecessary to enter upon the refutation here :- 
and will merely refer to the former woik. pages 13 — 27 ; and to 
the latter, p. 3 — 51 ; which will abundantly satisfy every person^, 
that from the year 13i7, and more especially since 1571, this 
method of benefitting the Irish has been sanctioned by the 
most eminent persons in the state ; of every department, whe- 
ther Executive, Legislative, or Ecclesiastical ; from Kings and 
Queens, down to Magistrates ; Archbishops, and Curates ; Mem- 
bers of Parliament, and Clerks in Civii offices. But, as in an- 
swering this Prejudice, I could do little more than copy the 
history of efforts to instruct the Irish, through their own lan- 
guage ; which has been already so admirably given in these 
books, (especially in the Brief Sketch.) I earnestly entreat 
my readers, if any doubt my assertion, to refer to the works, 
themselves. 



CONCLUSION. 

Before concluding, I beg to repeat, what I commenced by. 
stating, that I have borrowed freely from all the works quoted, 
whatever illustrations or arguments seemed most interesting or 
conclusive. When I have used the words of an author, I, 
have, in general, acknowledged the source ; but where I have 
altered the phraseology, condensed the language, or new mo- 
delled the argument, I have, very frequently, not done so. 
lam conscious myself, that many arguments, pi oofs, and il- 
lustrations, are original; but lest I should appear to act in the 
slightest degree unjustly to others, by plagiarising without 
acknowledgment, I prefer giving whatever credit my readers 
may think deserved, to my predecessors in this field of labour, 
for the good of our fellow countrymen. Yet perhaps I may 
hope that I have done something, towards putting the duty of 
the rich, to instruct the Poor in their own language, in a forna 
more likely to attract attention, than has hitherto been done. 

FINIS. 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



003 173 259 1 



The exertions and the benevolence of persons, interested in 
the object of this Pamphlet, cannot, the Author conceives, be 
better directed, than towards the support and extension of the 
" Irish Society, &c." and it's Auxiliary, (see page 4,) ; — the 
constitution and operations of which may be learned from their 
Reoorts, to be procured at No. 16, Upper Sackville-street, 
Dublin. 

OFFICERS 

OF 



PROMOTING THE EDUCATION OF THE NATIVE IRISH, THROUGH THE 
MEDIUM OF THEIR OWN LANGUAGE. 



PATRON, 

PRESIDENT, 

HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM. 

VICE PATRONS, 



Rt. Hon. the Earl of Meath, 
Rt. Hon. the Earl of Auras, 
Rt. Hon. the Earl of Roden, 
Rt. Hon. the Earl of Gosford, 
R.U Hon and very Rev. Lord Viscount 
Lifford, Dean of Armagh, 

VICE PRESIDENTS, 

Rt. Hon. John L. Foster, M.P. 
lit. Hon. John Raocliff, E.L.D. 



Rt. Hon. Lord Viscount Lorton, 
Hon. and lit. Rev. Lord Bishop of 

Durham, 
Hon. and lit. Rev. Lord Bishop of 

Gloucester. 



Sir Matthew Blakiston, Bart. 



Rt. Hon. Colonel M. Barky, M.P 

Rt. Hon. Judge Daly, 

Rt. Hod. Maurice Fitzgerald, 

Knight of Kerry, M.P. 

COMMITTEE, 

Hen. James Huvirr, 29, Merrim Sjvare, North; Hon. Col. W. Gore, 
Turret, C.lasnfvin ; Benjamin Bale, jun. Esq. 21, Lee son-street ; Henry 
Brougham. Esq. Sundi/muunt ; Rev. Robert Daly Powerscotirt, Bray 
William Hocan. Esq. 44, York-street; Robert Lannigan, Esq. 34, Har- 
courl-street ; I\lr. Serjeant Lefroy, 12, Jjeesonstreet ; Rev. Edward Martin, 
24, York-street; Rev. B. \V. Maihias. 56, Eccles-street ; Robert Newenham, 
Esq. Darlington, Cullenswood ; Charles Edw. II. Orpen, Esq. 40, Great 
George's-itrs, t, X. ; Rev. F. Saih.ur, D.D.S.F.T. CD. College; Rev. J. H. 
SiNGEh,F. T.C.I). College; Henrv Charles Sirr, Esq. L ower Yard, Castle; 
C B. Smith, Esq. Stillorgan ; Major B. Woodward. Lecson-strctt ; Rev. 
Rijharj* Vv'vnnk, BeUmrbet. 

TREASURERS, 
Messrs. G. La Touch e and Co. Castle-st. Dublin. 

SECRETARIES, 
Rev. J. D'Arcy Sinn, Stratton, Win- I Henry Mokck Mason, Esq. 26, 
chesttr. J Kildare-street. 

Assistant Secretary — Edw. Newenham Hoare, Esq. 5, Grenville-street, 
and 16, Upper S ickvillc-street. 

Collector — Mr. Wiluam Geo. Hui.bert, IS, Upper Sackville-st. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRF<;<; 

■ill 

003 173 259 "1 



